DOHA, April 13: A former US diplomat warned on Wednesday that a storm is gathering between Iran and the rest of the world after the announcement by its president that it had successfully enriched uranium for the first time, adding: “It is important for all of us to double the diplomatic efforts to persuade Tehran to give up its nuclear ambitions.”
Speaking at a session on enhancing democracy and combating terrorism at the sixth Doha Forum for Democracy, Development and Free Trade, former US ambassador Robert Blackwill said the diplomatic option to convince Iran to stop its nuclear programme was still open though the chances of its success did not look very promising.
“The entire civilized world wants Tehran not to acquire nuclear weapons. The Gulf Arab countries also wish so because the US military attack (to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities) was the last thing this region (the Middle East) needs.
“One can well imagine the consequences of the use of military force on the region, on the Muslim world, on the oil prices and (global) economy. Nobody wants another war in the region,” he said.
Mr Blackwill said Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons under the present regime would alter the geo-political situation in the region, but added that the use of military force against Tehran should only be a measure of last resort.
“Let’s pray that diplomatic efforts succeed. But it requires a fundamental change in Tehran,” the former US diplomat said.
Earlier, Qatar’s first deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani said the democratic option should be originated from the self-determination of society.
“Ït cannot flourish if imposed from outside according to some readymade prescriptions which have no relationship with the targeted society.”
Speaking about terrorism, he said the international community had not yet arrived collectively at a specific definition on international terrorism, despite the fact that the phenomenon of terrorism was a subject of consideration of researchers and analysts.
Al-Thani said terrorism was naturally based on ideological motives, and was accompanied by violence.
“Terrorism,” he said, “emerged from misery, disappointment, sense of injustice and despair which made the people sacrificing their lives in order to realize fundamental changes.”
The deputy prime minister said democracy was one of the most effective means to deal with terrorism.
The three-day Doha Forum for Democracy, Development and Free Trade, which aims at advancing dialogue on democratic values and economic, social and social pluralism all over the world, particularly in the Middle East, was opened on Tuesday by the Amir of Qatar, Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who had stated that democracy could not be realized in the developing countries without effective progress in economic and social sectors.
