Nuclear Crisis - Will Tehran succeed?

Iran is pursuing the nuclear bomb - that goes without question. The middle-east country has ignored the requests of the European Union not to re-start the processing and enrichment of uranium as long as the negotiations are going on. This is undermining Iran's assertions to continue talking to the UK, France and Germany about a diplomatic conclusion of the situation.
Iran is claiming to strive for the peaceful use of nuclear technologies only.

But how can one believe in this hollow statement since the Isfahan site is fully equipped to process yellow cake for the production of nuclear bombs? How can one sincerely believe that a nation steered by hardliners will resign from its well known and established plans to get the bomb that is regarded so highly in order to establish a level playing field with the countries two great enemies - Israel and the US.

The election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the pressure to re-start the countries nuclear programme (if it was ever fully stopped) coincides with the progress of Iranian scientists . This is worrying news and it is not unlikely that Tehran may be successful in preventing the US and the European Union from taking its worries in front of the security council.

An military operation seems to be unbearable. To expensive - and especially under the light of the recent terror attacks on London to hard to sell. Iran knows this and sees a glorious end to its ambition to become the most powerful Islamic country - the only one that possesses the nuclear bomb and managed to resist the 'evil' alliance of the infidels.

This is a dangerous situation - especially since time is running out. The European 3 are in risk of continuing fruitless negotiations while at the same time Iran is finishing the job. The US has all reasons to become growingly suspicious on this approach - but on the other hand has no viable alternatives to consider.

A one sided threat - like those of the US and the UK prior to the Iraq Invasion - would be laughed at in Tehran. Furthermore - the discordances between Old Europe and the Alliance has led to a bloody but successful strategy of terror - Al Qaida was no longer trying to hit the main enemy - the US or Israel - but his allies of which it is knows that the war against terror is seen critical in large parts of the public opinion.

But unity and decisive actions are now required to stop a small group of fanatics from laying their hands on the most destructive weapon there is - and preventing a war in the middle east.