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Suprise! Iran declares the sanctions "illegal" and won't stop enriching nuclear weapons. Of course, nobody expected them too. Or did they? Who knows, trusting Europe over there may have really believed it. I'm just suprised Russia went along with the sanctions.

And what do you suggest?

Actually, I don't know. I was hoping we could think of some solutions here.

If they keep saying that they are goign to do it for peacefull purposes only then why not the UN with the help of US and other nuclear technology holding countries each sell some reactors to them for cheaper than what it cost them. Iran would probably deny it but then that would be one more step to ensure they were trying to do it for peacefull purposes. And Im sure building them a few nuclear plants is a lot cheaper then going to war with them.

Russia and I believe the UN already asked to go in there, inspect and in turn help. They denied. That was a while ago, though, and hopefully now they have changed their minds.

Oh boy, nuclear power in the hands of someone who has declared that he wants to wipe Israel off the map - what a lovely Christmas present.

I wish that the nascent student underground in Iran would just rise up and kick that fascist out of power - I'm tired of him spewing threats, and a little concerned that he'll back them up with action one of these days. I'm afraid that only force will bring him down but we don't really have the capability to launch a full-scale attack at this point, so it would be great if a home-brewed rebellion would just do the job for us.

Did you see the other day in the news, when Achmidenijad was visiting a University there, the students started burning pictures of him and the Iranian flag. A great moment, I swear. I was just happy it wasn't American flags for a change.

Even if it were for peaceful reasons, It doesn't feel right allowing another nation to acquire nuclear arms simply because it increase the chance of nuclear wars. The cost of lives simply out weigh the logic of letting them continue enriching nuclear materials for their peaceful gains. I myself don’t completely trust Iran’s leader in the first place. I wonder how this is going to turn out seeing as how Iran has already spit in China’s face by continuing nuclear programs, and the fact that the U.N. has also been powerless to this point, I`m just surprised that Russia accepts Iran’s choices, maybe their trying to win favor?

I agree with Nemo. In a country so unstable, Nuclear technology as a whole cannot be given to them UNLESS NATO troops are allowed to monitor the enegry permanently. In which case, I'd agree. Notice I said NATO, not the UN. The UN to this point has been useless, especially given Russia may very well veto any attempt made at this.

Even NATO, however, is hovering over being neutered to the point of uselessness.

*sigh* its funny how history tends to repeat itself, the U.N. is starting to seem like another League of Nations, hopefully a war doesn't break out due to this.

I would just like to bring up a point dimmick made:

Why would you allow a country that openly denies the Holocaust ever happened and that denounces Israel as a country EVER get nuclear power.

Hate of Israel + Nuke = ?

How can they not see this?
Sanctions will do nothing. They are just "warnings" in my opinion that will, as always, have to be enforced by the U.S.

Sometimes I wonder how much of the extremism is simply due to ongoing antagonization. If Iran figures that no one is going to listen to them unless they're wielding nukes and generally being crazy, then that's what they'll do. Unless the UN and US can make some credible threats to Iran, they can't really enforce their will at all just by making ominous pronouncements, which leaves engagement. Engagement, if done right, can be much more effective, I think, but it is also very tricky to do right.

That's my problem with the whole Iran situation, and i suppose the UN as well. The UN always passes these irrelivant sanctions that realy don't solve the problem at hand, more of a "this is a warning." And once that doesn't work, it always ends up where America must move in militarily after a country refuses to stop what its doing, acting as the force behind the UN. But once war is declared, the image of us turns into a bully even by the same UN members who supported us primarily. I don't know, but that seems to be the way things are going now with Iran (In the early stages). In my opinion, the only reason we are not being that agressive is focus on Iraq and depletion of and widespread troops.

The UN has never really had any power of its own; it has only the power granted it by its constituent governments. And if those governments don't want to lift a finger, the UN can't do a thing about it. So blame those governments, not the UN.

Well it is still the same outcome. If the UN is supposed to be this world council of all nations working together and half of the nations do nothing (literally), why not just make the US incharge or better yet disban it all together.

Ah, the understatement of the century.

The man is a nutjob, and regardless of whether his rhetoric is just bluster or genuine anti-Semitism, the fact remains that he has openly threatened Israel many times over and committed Holocaust denial on an abhorrent scale, and he should be held responsible for all of these statements.