Russia warns over Iran's UN referral

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denounced as "counter-productive" moves by the United States and the European Union (EU) to report Iran's nuclear programme to the UN Security Council, RIA Novosti news agency reported Wednesday.

Involving the Security Council, which can impose sanctions, would lead to "unnecessary politicizing" while Iran was still co-operating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and had yet to start uranium enrichment, the most sensitive part of the nuclear fuel cycle, Lavrov said.

Russia, which is building a US$1 billion nuclear reactor for Iran, is a permanent member of the Council and can use its veto to block any move against Iran.

"While Iran is co-operating with the IAEA, while it is not enriching uranium and observing a moratorium, while IAEA inspectors are working in the country, it would be counter-productive to report this question to the UN Security Council," Lavrov was quoted Wednesday as saying in a speech in San Francisco.

"It will lead to an unnecessary politicizing of the situation. Iran is not violating its obligations and its actions do not threaten the non-proliferation regime," he said in a speech at Stanford University.

EU hardens stance on Teheran

The EU hardened its stance on Iran Wednesday, saying it was "deeply concerned" about Teheran's determination to press ahead with its nuclear programme.

"We ... regret, and feel deeply concerned by the fact that Iran gives every sign of being intent on developing a fissile material production capability well before the international community obtains what it needs: confidence that Iran's programme is exclusively peaceful in nature," the EU said in a statement on behalf of 25 EU members and other European states.

The statement was read by British Ambassador Peter Jenkins during a closed-door meeting of the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors, which is discussing an EU draft resolution that would report Iran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

The statement, which echoed US language on the Iranian nuclear programme, called on the IAEA board to report Iran to the Security Council for its "breaches and failures" to comply with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Iran signed NPT, the benchmark arms control treaty, in 1968.

The United States and EU suspect Iran's nuclear fuel programme, which it hid from the IAEA for 18 years, is a front for developing weapons.

Russia has long warned against using force to stop Teheran's nuclear programme and called for diplomatic ways to settle disagreements.

Iran, which denies wanting nuclear weapons as suspected by Washington and the EU, has angered the EU by resuming uranium-processing work at a plant in Isfahan a move that led EU officials to threaten the Council referral.

Iran earlier warned that it would resume uranium enrichment and reconsider unfettered inspections of its nuclear facilities if it is referred to the UN Security Council.

Iran offers new talks

However, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, has offered Europe a new round of talks, saying the world should give Iran's new government a chance to reach a political understanding.

Larijani also said the United States and Europe should learn lessons from the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and recognize Iran's right to enrich uranium now rather than later.

"If they want to speak with Iran with the language of force, Iran will have no choice, in order to preserve its technological achievements, to get out of the framework of the NPT and the additional protocol and resume (uranium) enrichment," Larijani told a news conference on Tuesday.

The additional protocol to the NPT allows unfettered, short-notice inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities.

Western diplomats in Vienna said that a US-backed EU resolution calling for referral could be introduced at the current session of the IAEA's board meeting, but any vote could be postponed to a later meeting of the 35-nation IAEA board.

Larijani also warned that Iran would react harshly if the IAEA passes any resolution setting a deadline for Iran over its nuclear activities.

"If they set a deadline, it will, from Iran's point of view, make no difference from being referred to the UN Security Council and Iran will react in the same manner," he said.

Larijani said nuclear technology has turned into a matter of national pride in Iran and the Iranian Government will not compromise over its right to enrich uranium.

Larijani also urged the European troika of Britain, France and Germany to get back to the negotiating table.

"We are telling the three European countries that we are ready for talks but within the framework of the NPT. ... It's a good opportunity for them to play a good role," he said.

Source: China Daily