Madam, - No one has adequately explained why a country like Iran, which is sitting on a veritable ocean of oil and has substantial hydro-electric stations, feels the need to develop a nuclear capacity. The fact that it will no longer engage with officials from the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) is a serious cause for concern. The referral of this issue to the UN Security Council affords very little comfort as this body has shown itself to be vacillating and procrastinating. The reality is that unless Iran re-engages with the IAEA it is likely to face pre-emptive action from Israel and/or the United States. - Yours, etc,
BRENDAN McMAHON, Elmwood, Naas, Co Kildare.