A breakthrough in the deadlock over Iran's controversial nuclear activities remains as elusive as ever, two days after a report by the world's nuclear watchdog threw up more questions than it answered.
While the report, circulated by IAEA Director General Mohamed El Baradei Friday, made no final judgment on the Iran nuclear issue, it did succeed however in stimulating contradictory responses from Iran and some western countries.
Tehran described the report as "a victory" for its people as it said the country had clarified most issues relating to its nuclear program, but some western countries called for harsher sanctions as the document highlighted Iran's continued refusal to halt uranium enrichment.
IAEA--IRAN'S "TRUMP CARD" FOR NEGOTIATION
Describing Tehran as more transparent than in the past over its nuclear program, the report said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is still uncertain about whether Iran holds undeclared nuclear materials or has conducted any undeclared activities. Iran has also speeded up its uranium enrichment.
The report said it cannot confirm that Iran's nuclear program is designed for peaceful purposes due to these uncertainties and expressed concerns about Tehran's suspicious activities.
Though the ambiguous IAEA report was clearly not in Iran's favor, Tehran warmly welcomed it, in a move that many observers viewed as a strong signal that Iran still relies on its cooperation with the U.N. nuclear agency as a "trump card" in its future diplomatic wrestling on the issue.
All signs show that Iran will continue its current strategy in dealing with the nuclear issue by choosing to cooperate with the IAEA and taking the Non-Proliferation Treaty of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as its basis for fighting for its right to peaceful use of nuclear technology.
Meanwhile, Iran is expected to try to persuade the world that the issue can be solved through negotiations, in a move to win room for its diplomatic struggle on the issue.
U.S., EUROPE TO SEEK HARSHER SANCTIONS
After the release of the report, some western countries claimed the U.N. Security Council demands not only transparency from Iran over its nuclear program, but also the complete halting of uranium enrichment activities.
They argued that the report showed Iran had violated the U.N. Security Council's previous resolutions by refusing to halt its nuclear enrichment activities.
One day before the release of the report, France, Britain and Germany formally introduced to the U.N. Security Council a draft resolution that calls for further sanctions against Iran over its refusal to suspend sensitive nuclear enrichment activities.
The United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany are scheduled to meet Monday to negotiate their position on Iran's nuclear issue and the IAEA will hold its council meeting early March to discuss the report.
Source: Xinhua
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