Letters: Looking to France on Iran

November 12, 2013

Re "France stirs debate over Iran stance," Nov. 11

The Iran nuclear issue can be resolved sanely through diplomacy instead of war if the negotiators from the six major world powers were to be guided by their own national interests.

Israel has been reckless in demanding that Iran cease all enrichment activities, a right Iran has under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. At the same time, it is insisting on the imposition of harsher sanctions, which could fatally damage the Iranian economy. Israel would benefit by having a weakened adversary to deal with.

France and the other countries involved are being used not to further their own national interests but rather those of Israel. Iran is certainly not an existential threat to France or the U.S.

Joseph Tillotson

Redondo Beach

Is it a surprise to anyone outside the administration that Iran is dragging its feet until it has a nuclear weapon? I never thought France alone would stand against Iran's real intentions and demand substantial changes in direction.

Iran knows that the U.S. has the military capability to strike and destroy its nuclear facilities. It also knows that President Obama does not have the stomach to attack without a consensus of nations.

Negotiating with Iran would work if it believed there is a line it cannot cross. Oh, we already tried that "red line" stuff. As we gave Russia the leadership role in dealing with Syria, I guess we need to count on the French to solve the problem with Iran.

And if the French fail, the Israelis can solve the problem. That will make the world safer.

Alan L. Strzemieczny

Riverside

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