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Rice highlights fear of nuclear Iran to enlist Arabs

Posted on: Thursday, 16 February 2006, 19:34 CST

By Saul Hudson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday highlighted U.S. fears that Iran is destabilizing the Middle East in a new diplomatic strategy to enlist Arab neighbors to help curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Rice, who will visit the region next week, said she will lobby for pressure against Iran by emphasizing concern likely to resonate with its neighbors -- its support for militant groups that she said are undermining governments in the area.

She told lawmakers the U.S. strategy against Iran's suspected nuclear weapons programs was to "remind the world that this has to be understood in the context of broader Iranian policies."

"We will not be able to address the Iranian nuclear program and problem in a vacuum," she said. "It is Iran's regional policies that really are concerning, as we watch them, with their sidekick Syria, destabilizing places like Lebanon and the Palestinian territories and, indeed, even in southern Iraq."

Iran says its nuclear programs are peaceful and denies it funds terrorist organizations in the region.

For two years, Rice has gradually won more support from Europe, Russia and China for the U.S. campaign to curb Iran's nuclear programs.

Now she wants to widen the international front pressuring Iran to Arab countries and will start with her trip to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

"Our diplomacy has been focused on the EU-3 countries (Britain, France and Germany), on Russia, China, India," a senior administration official involved in crafting the new strategy said.

"What the secretary would like to do is broaden that international discussion and discuss with the Arab countries, who obviously have a lot of concerns about Iran, not just the nuclear issue but the terrorism issue," said the official, who asked not to be named because he went beyond Rice's explanation of her trip.

Arab powers have expressed concern about Iran's nuclear ambitions. But it is unclear how much explicit support they can give to a U.S. campaign against Iran when many in the region are angry at what they see as anti-Muslim American policies.

The United States concluded a years-long campaign last month to have Iran reported to the United Nations Security Council for possible sanctions.

But Rice acknowledged forging support at the security council for further international moves against Iran would be difficult and said Washington might have to rely only on those countries willing to support its hard line for sanctions.

"I do not underestimate the challenge that we have in getting robust action should Iran continue to defy the international community," she said.

"If we cannot get everyone to agree, there may be some measures that like-minded states can take that will still have a significant effect on the Iranian economy," she added.

Source: REUTERS

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