Iran owes EU's new decision to Tehran's firm stance

Iran said on Thursday that the country's firm stance, broad opposition and lack of legal and technical basis led to the European Union's new decision on the referral of Iran's nuclear case to the UN Security Council, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"Iran's firm stance, broad opposition in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors, particularly that of Russia and China, and lack of legal and technical basis were the main reasons behind Europe's new decision," Javad Vaeidi, Iranian senior delegate to the IAEA, was quoted as saying in Vienna, Austria.

"The Europeans revised their draft resolution following such factors as well as Iran's previous announcement on immediate suspension of the additional protocol (of the Non-Proliferation Treaty) if they insist on Security Council referral," Vaeidi said.

He made the comments after the European Union (EU) revised its draft resolution on the Iranian nuclear case, abandoning an attempt to immediately report Iran's case to the Security Council.

An Iranian diplomat confirmed earlier in the day that the Iranian delegation in Vienna was informed on Wednesday evening of the EU's revision of the draft resolution.

The EU put forward its original draft to the ongoing meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors on Tuesday due to Iran's reluctance to re-suspend its uranium conversion activities before the deadline of Sept. 19.

The original resolution accused Iran of failing to cooperate transparently and actively with the IAEA and urged the agency to report Iran's case to the Security Council and the UN General Assembly.

Vaeidi said the Europeans were also not confident about their referral motion due to extensive opposition, adding that Iran had already predicted the issue of referral was "just a pretext for them (the Europeans and the Americans) to attain other objectives. "

As for the fact that the revised EU resolution still follows up setting a deadline for Iran to suspend conversion activities with the so-called "trigger mechanism," Vaeidi said Iran will endeavor to prevent materialization of such attempts.

The trigger mechanism means that the Iranian nuclear case will be promptly and automatically referred to the UN Security Council without discussion if Tehran fails to abide by the new deadline again.

"Iran will never accept a deadline or trigger mechanism. In that case, Tehran will show its reaction," the official said, adding Iran will not yield to any pressure to suspend uranium conversion and enrichment activities permanently.

However, Vaeidi said the Iranian delegation to Vienna will continue talks with all member states of the IAEA Board of Governors to reach "an appropriate outcome" on the current nuclear standoff.

Tehran resumed its highly sensitive uranium conversion activities on Aug. 8 and refused to stop.

The EU has been trying to press Tehran to abandon its efforts to build nuclear fuel cycles, including activities related to uranium enrichment.

However, Iran insists that it never give up legal rights of the peaceful use of nuclear technology.

The United States accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the disguise of civil usage, a charge rejected by Tehran.

Source: Xinhua