Thursday

28th Mar 2024

Pressure mounts on Iran as US backs EU move for UN action

  • US and EU leaders to press together for UN action on Iran (Photo: European Commission)

Washington has expressed its full support for an EU proposal to refer Iran to the UN Security Council over nuclear research, while Russia is hinting at a change from its previous pro-Iran stance.

But Tehran seems to be unfazed by the latest developments, warning that it will block UN inspectors' access to its nuclear facilities if the UN imposes sanctions.

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The escalation of the dispute comes after Iran resumed its nuclear project this week, while still ostensibly participating in EU negotiations which rule out such an option.

Tehran claims it needs the nuclear programme for energy production, but the US and EU fear it could be used to develop weapons.

"These provocative actions by the Iranian regime have shattered the basis for negotiation," said US foreign affairs chief Condoleeza Rice in a statement, following the meeting of her French, German and British counterparts in Berlin on Thursday (12 January).

The EU trio, represented by foreign ministers Philippe Douste-Blazy, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Jack Straw, with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in attendance, said they were calling for an emergency session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to refer the issue to the top UN forum.

"We believe the time has now come for the Security Council to become involved to reinforce the authority of IAEA resolutions," the ministers stated.

They added that it is important for the stability of the region and the credibility of the global non-proliferation system to "respond firmly to this challenge."

"This is not a dispute between Iran and Europe, but between Iran and the whole international community," the ministers said in their common declaration.

Both the EU leaders and Ms Rice made clear they were committed to resolve the dispute by diplomatic means.

Meanwhile, Russia has not ruled out its support for a UN Security Council referral, with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov's comments hinting at a change in Russian policy on the issue.

"We are convinced Iran would do well to renew the moratorium [on nuclear research]," Lavrov stated, Polish media say.

Russia was one of the key IAEA players standing in the way of the UN security council move last year.

But Moscow added that not all diplomatic steps have been exhausted yet, with similar remarks coming from UN secretary general Kofi Annan.

Mr Annan told the BBC he was hoping a solution could still be found through the IAEA, highlighting that Iran's nuclear chief negotiator had assured him Tehran remained "interested in serious and constructive negotiations, but within a time-frame."

The issue will be also discussed by US president George W. Bush and German chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to Washington starting today.

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