A draft resolution submitted to the UN nuclear watchdog says Iran must resume a full suspension of all nuclear fuel related activities and asks the UN nuclear watchdog to verify Tehran's compliance.
The draft, drawn up by Britain, Germany and France, also asks IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei "to provide a comprehensive report on the implementation of Iran's NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) Safeguards Agreement."
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| Iranian technicians working at the Uranium Conversion Facility in Isfahan yesterday |
The seals at Isfahan were put on after Tehran agreed with Britain, France and Germany, known as the EU3, to halt all nuclear fuel work last November to ease tension after the IAEA found Iran had hidden weapons-grade highly enriched uranium.
The draft did not say Iran should be referred to the UN Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions.
The European Union is sponsoring the resolution which will be voted on later today at an emergency session of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) board of governors in Vienna. The resolution "urges Iran to re-establish full suspension of all enrichment related activities ... and to permit the Director General to reinstate the seals that have been removed at (Isfahan)."
EU diplomats said that if Iran does not comply with the resolution, they will ask the board to refer the matter to the Security Council in September.
Iran resumed activities at the Isfahan uranium processing plant on Monday. Despite US and EU calls that Iran not resume work there, Tehran yesterday broke all the UN seals and made the facility fully operational.
In the past, the IAEA board has said the suspension was a voluntary, but necessary, confidence-building measure to alleviate concerns about Iran's nuclear programme.
"This should in no way be seen as an endorsement," IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said of the removal of the seals.
IAEA officials agreed Tehran's request to remove the seals after installing surveillance cameras to ensure no uranium is shifted away from the plant for any covert weapons work.
Iran denies Western accusations that its atomic programme is a front for covert bomb-making. It says it needs to develop nuclear power as an alternative energy source to meet booming electricity demand and keep its oil and gas reserves for export.
Agencies