While Israeli officials and American Jewish organizations press for urgent action to prevent Iran from further developing its missile program, the Clinton administration remains concerned that too much pressure could jeopardize its relations with Russia.
“Russia has made clear that its policy is not to assist Iran’s missile program,” State Department spokesman James Rubin said last week. “We have now established a mechanism to pursue this with the Russians and are working hard to resolve the problem.”
He declined to give details but said special envoy Frank Wisner, charged with pursuing the Russia-Iran problem, was expected to visit Moscow shortly.
Israel claims Russian scientists and engineers helped develop the engine and guidance system of the Iranian missile now in development and that the Russian space agency provided wind-tunnel testing for the rocket’s fuselage.
Last week, Russia’s security service confirmed that Iran had attempted to seek Russian help in developing its missile technology, but said that all such attempts had been thwarted.
The House International Relations Committee, meanwhile, has adopted a non-binding resolution urging Clinton’s administration to impose sanctions against “responsible Russian entities” aiding Iran’s efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction.
“Russia has already provided Iran with critical know-how and technological support,” said Rep. Benjamin Gilman (R-N.Y.), chairman of the committee. “We have but a few months to prevent the Iranians from achieving a quantum leap in their missile program.”
The committee is expected to take up tougher legislation later this month aimed at enforcing existing sanctions.
Meanwhile, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and other Jewish organizations are urging the administration to move beyond diplomatic channels, which they say have not yielded results, and impose sanctions against Russian companies helping Iran build missiles.
Jewish officials and some members of Congress have also proposed cutting a portion of Russia’s foreign aid.
“Russian technology is the driving force behind Iran’s missile program,” AIPAC stated in an ad in Jewish newspapers last week.
“Now is the time,” it continues, “for Congress and the administration to force Russian companies to choose between their deadly partnership with Iran or their future in the world marketplace.”
AIPAC officials say they have made the issue their top priority.
The controversy comes amid reports a second European oil company is in the process of finalizing a multibillion-dollar energy deal with Iran. The Washington Post reported this week that Shell, the British-Dutch energy conglomerate, is negotiating to build a $2.5 billion gas pipeline across northern Iran.