The efforts of the United States and its allies to dissuade Iran from pursuing its long sought goal of attaining a nuclear weapons capability have so far failed to yield satisfactory results. Iran made temporary tactical concessions in October 2003 under strong international pressure to temporarily freeze its uranium enrichment operations and submit to increased inspections of its nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Tehran feared that referral to the Security Council could result in diplomatic isolation, economic sanctions, or possible military attack. It undoubtedly also was motivated by the examples set by the rapid overthrow of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan in 2001 and Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq in early 2003 by U.S.-led coalitions.