EU approves new sanctions on Iran

Dealing with the Iranian regime is extremely important since nothing substantive can be accomplished in the Middle East without dealing with Iran.

The article indicates that Europe seeks to placate the outgoing Bush Administration by agreeing to minimal sanctions on Tehran.  However, while welcoming the European action, President Bush made it clear that the US insists on Iran's complete halt to nuclear enrichment, which the sanctions agreed-to by Europe will not accomplish.  Rather than forestalling unilateral US military action...

While EU sanctions are a negative development from Iran's point of view they do not represent the end of the road.We have to recall that such sanctions have never had its intended effects while their negative consequences,mostly unintended,have been pronounced. Politically it will reduce EU's influence as a bridging between US and Iran. Iran 's oil and gas output will ensure that the sanctions...

It should be clear that Russia holds Europe at ransom, in so far the oil and, particularly, natural gas. Thus,  if Russia chose to help Teheran advance Iranian nukes, both, diplomatically and by the know-how, she must obviously assume similar scenario to this:   (1)  Sanctions would be practically toothless as the money to pay Russia for help with Bushehr nuke plant  will...