Iran Next Hotspot

KRANJ, Slovenia — President Bush, pushing for a tougher international stance against Iran's nuclear ambitions, came together with his European partners on Tuesday to embrace financial sanctions beyond those the United Nations already has undertaken to pressure Tehran. Bush had a long list of trans-Atlantic issues on his plate at his final U.S.-European Union summit, held in the scenic countryside amid majestic mountain ranges. None more pressing than Iran. The president wants to get Britain, Germany and France to agree on a package of new penalties and incentives aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. And he wants the next package of U.N. sanctions to be tougher than the last. According to the summit declaration obtained by The Associated Press, Bush and the EU leaders were poised to threaten Iran with further financial sanctions unless it verifiably suspends its nuclear enrichment. The statement said Iran must fully disclose any nuclear weapons work and allow the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.'s watchdog group, to verify that any such work has ceased.

• JJ Commentary: Iran will not cease its nuclear ambitions over “new penalties and incentives.” Ultimately, Israel and/or the U.S. will destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities and touch off another Middle East conflagration that will lead to the peace pact “with many” prophesied by Daniel and the emergence of the anti-Christ