Iran as good as its word on ignoring UN nuke order

NY Times:

In open defiance of the United Nations, Iran is steadily expanding — rather than freezing — its efforts to enrich uranium, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported today. The findings have prompted the Bush administration to press for more severe sanctions against Iran, at a moment of greatly increased tensions between Washington and Tehran.

In a mild surprise to outside experts, the nuclear agency reported that Iran is now operating, or is about to switch on, roughly 1,000 centrifuges, the high-speed devices that enrich uranium, at its main nuclear facility at Natanz.

Coming on the heels of the Bush administration’s accusations that Iran’s Quds force is sending arms and explosive devices into Iraq, the report heightens a growing confrontation.

The Iranians “are very serious,” said David Albright, a former inspector who is now president of the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington.

“They are installing faster than was commonly expected.”

...

They are actually running a little behind their target of 3000 centrifuges that they openly discussed. The fact that the ignored the UN should be no surprise since they said all along that they would. The real question is whether the UN has the ability to ratchet up the pain. Don't count on the Russians to back doing anything that might actually get Iran to change its course. It is enjoying the confrontation far too much at this point.