Iran:European powers said yesterday Iran had not done enough to regain trust in its atomic work and the UN should now consider tougher sanctions.
"A wait-and-see approach is not an option," Britain, France and Germany told governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after its chief said Iran appeared on course to clearing up questions about its nuclear history by the end of the year.
Mohamed ElBaradei had also reiterated that the IAEA's knowledge of current Iranian activity was shrinking due to strict Iranian curbs on UN inspector movements and Iran was expanding uranium enrichment despite UN calls for a halt. The statement by the "EU-3" said both matters were "unacceptable. . . We are interested at least as much in the present and future [of Iran's programme] as the past."
The West fears Iran is secretly trying to build atom bombs. Iran says it only wants electricity from uranium enrichment.
"We recognise Iran has taken some steps in the right direction but we are disappointed that co-operation is of a partial and reactive nature," the EU-3 said, mirroring the US position. "So, all in all, the results are not encouraging. Therefore we must draw conclusions at the [UN] Security Council," they said, meaning consideration of tougher sanctions in talks with the United States as well as Russia and China. They gave no time frame.
Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, said yesterday he would meet EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on November 30th. If Mr Solana concludes - as is highly likely - that Iran remains adamant against suspension, sanctions steps could follow.
Russia and China were likely to cast the IAEA's report in a more positive light and warn against disrupting the plan for Iran to come clean in stages about its nuclear development.
Both have blocked tougher UN Security Council sanctions, calling them counter-productive, but have lately pressed Iran harder to be open and halt enrichment.
Mr Solana said yesterday that creating international nuclear fuel production sites under multinational supervision could ease the standoff.
But Iran has ruled out such a solution if it has to renounce enrichment at home in the bargain.
Mr ElBaradei summarised an IAEA report on Iran to the 35-nation board, where differences simmered over whether Iran's improved transparency was cause for new hope or further scepticism.
- (Reuters)