[Note: Amid crowing international concerns over its nuclear ambitions in November 2011 the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) realised a report which for the first time acknowledged that Iran is conducting secret experiments towards weaponization on 18 November the Board of Governors passed a resolution urging Iran to implement its commitments to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and other relevant provisions of the UN Security Council Resolutions.. The issue has been discussed internatinally and eeditorial commentaries from the international and Middle Eastern media are reproduced here. Editor, MEI@ND]
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The Telegraph, London, Editorial, 8 November 2011, Tuesday
1. Iran’s nuclear menace
Western leaders must make renewed efforts to see sanctions intensified. The report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) into Iran’s nuclear programme has for the first time acknowledged that Tehran is conducting secret experiments whose sole purpose is the development of weapons. This means the regime can no longer credibly sustain the fiction that it is engaged in a civil nuclear programme. For Full Text:

Gulf News, Dubai, Editorial, 9 November 2011, Wednesday
2. Hysteria over ‘nuclear’ Iran is dangerous
Knee-jerk reactions to IAEA report could result in armed conflict harmful for region. The growing hysteria over Iran's alleged capability to build a nuclear bomb sometime in the future is getting very dangerous. Far too many people in the Middle East, and in the world at large, have too much to gain from confrontation, and not enough people are working to cool the atmosphere.
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The Jerusalem Post, Editorial, 9 November 2011, Wednesday
3. Cripple Iran with Sanctions
World powers must take the IAEA report seriously; assume the worst about Iranian intentions and work to place another round of stricter sanctions on it. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s report released on Tuesday (8 November) on Iran’s progress toward obtaining and using nuclear weapons should result in a fundamental change in the world’s approach to the Islamic Republic. For Full Text:

The Natiional, Abu Dhabi, Editorial, 9 November 2011, Wednesday
4. Note of caution as IAEA report stokes war fears
The nine-year drama to defuse Iran's nuclear programme has produced its share of "smoking guns". Anecdotal evidence, hidden facilities, and a captured laptop - all have pointed to Iran's interest in being able to build nuclear weapons. Yet nothing uncovered so far would justify the use of military action to force Iran's hand.
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The New York Times, Editorial, 9 November 2011, Wednesday
5. The Truth about Iran
Tehran was in full dudgeon on Wednesday (9 November), denouncing the International Atomic Energy Agency — calling its top inspector a Washington stooge — after it reported that Iran’s scientists had pursued secret activities “relevant to the development of a nuclear device.” The agency did not back down, and neither should anyone else. The report is chillingly comprehensive. It says that Iran created computer models of nuclear explosions, conducted experiments on nuclear triggers and did advanced research on a warhead that could be delivered by a medium-range missile. For Full Text:

The Guardian, London, Editorial, 9 November 2011, Wednesday
6. Iran: bolting the stable door
It really is time to drop the pretence that Iran can be deflected from its nuclear path. How often before have we been at this weary crossroads? First comes a flurry of leaks about Iran's nuclear programme, always tending to suggest, without being able to absolutely prove, that Tehran is working to acquire nuclear weapons capacity. Then come the warnings from Israel, complete with scraps of information which seem to indicate that Tel Aviv might contemplate a pre-emptive strike on Iranian installations. For Full Text:

Ha'aretz, Tel Aviv, Editorial, 10 November 2011, Thursday
7. The Iranian problem is not the Israeli problem
The shock waves that an independent Israeli military operation could generate and the damage it would cause to Israel's vital interests ought to forestall any thought of an operation. A new phase in the battle against the Iranian nuclear threat began on Tuesday (8 November) with publication of the International Atomic Energy Agency's report. The report clearly shows that Iran carried out tests which cannot be interpreted in any way other than as signalling intent to develop nuclear weapons. For Full Text:  http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/the-iranian-problem-is-not-the-israeli-problem-1.394699


The Jordan Times, Amman, 10 November 2011, Thursday
8. No military option
Israel seems intent on launching a military attack on Iran under the pretext that the most recent report by the UN nuclear watchdog, IAEA, stated that Tehran is getting closer to manufacturing a nuclear bomb. Leaks from the report suggest that foreign nuclear scientists, notably from the former Soviet Union, have been assisting Iran’s military nuclear programme. For Full Text:

The Daily Star, Beirut, Editorial, 10 November 2011, Thursday
9. All bark no bite
The media has been busy broadcasting the latest news on the “Iran saga” following the International Atomic Energy Agency’s report on the nuclear developments supposedly under way in the Islamic Republic. This was preceded by a veritable storm of media commotion in Israel, as top leaders reportedly discussed launching a military strike on Iran to punish it for having nuclear aspirations. Then, Western officials began making statements concerning other types of punishment, using some form of sanctions. For Full Text:

The Washington Post, Editorial, 10 November 2011, Thursday
10. Running out of time to stop Iran’s nuclear program
The International Atomic Energy Agency has now spelled out in detail what governments around the world have known for a long time: Iran’s nuclear program has an explicit military dimension, aimed at producing a warhead that can be fitted onto one of the country’s medium-range missiles. In a 14-page annex to its latest report, the agency summarizes the evidence behind its conclusion that “Iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device.” It also says that these programs “may still be ongoing” — a contradiction of the U.S. intelligence community’s controversial conclusion that they were suspended in 2003. For Full Text:

Gulf News, Dubai, Editorial, 11 November 2011, Friday
11. Nuclear agency's report lacks hard evidence
Anti-Iran hawks have leapt on the document as an excuse to attack Tehran. The vociferous anti-Iran lobby has jumped on the latest quarterly IAEA report as an excuse to attack the country. But the wild language being used simply exposes the anti-Iran agenda, and has little to do with what is actually happening. The truth is that the IAEA report remains unclear on what Iran has actually done to develop a nuclear weapon. For Full Text:

Gulf News, Dubai, Editorial, 15 November 2011, Tuesday
12. Republican alarm over Iran nukes
Threat to wage war should never be used as part of a poll campaign by any party. The discussion of Iran and its nuclear ambitions have always been a topic of much debate, which takes on a different dimension when preparation for the US elections begins. It is unquestionable that the matter is serious — but what is important is that it should not be turned into an item on the agenda as and when it serves a political purpose. For Full Text
Compiled by Alvite N

Alvite N is a Doctoral candidate at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Email

As part of its editorial policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spelling and date formats to make the text uniformly accessible and stylistically consistent. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views/positions of the MEI@ND.  Editor, MEI@ND:  P R Kumaraswamy