Europeans Want To Censure Iran on Nuclear Program but U.S. Says ‘No’

The Wall Street Journal publishes an “exclusive” report that while Britain, France, and other European allies want to censure Iran for its nuclear program at the early June meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United States is blocking the effort. The U.S. is trying to avoid any further escalation of tensions, especially now that Iran may be politically more volatile after it lost its President, Foreign Minister and others in a May 19 helicopter crash. The U.S. policy is to continue with sanctions and the political isolation of Iran. Officially the U.S. says it is not pressuring any nation over the censure, but unnamed diplomats have said that the U.S. is telling other countries that the U.S. will “abstain” on any such resolution and is encouraging other countries to do the same. Another likely factor could be that Biden wants to avoid more conflicts before the Nov. 5 election.