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U.N. Powers Continue Iran Talks
The United States and other world powers are scheduled to meet again today at the United Nations to discuss a draft resolution on Iran’s controversial nuclear program, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, July 19). Foreign ministers from the six countries agreed last week to return Iran’s case to the Security Council, as Tehran has not yet responded to an incentives package aimed at curbing its nuclear program. “There is agreement that what the ministers agreed to was to make the suspension of uranium enrichment mandatory,” Bolton said. “What we have not reached agreement on is the right formulation of the words that will do that.” The dispute hinges on possible invocation of Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which can authorize sanctions or the use of force, according to AFP (Agence France-Presse I/ChannelNewsAsia.com, July 19). Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said yesterday that Moscow was open to imposing sanctions on Iran if it failed to comply with the world powers’ demands, AFP reported. “If the first resolution calling on Iran to respond to the demands of the [International Atomic Energy Agency] doesn’t work, we have agreed that after a period it will be necessary to discuss additional measures, including measures of an economic character,” Lavrov said. “This period should be a reasonable one so that Iran can realize the attractiveness of the proposals.” “The resolution currently being discussed ... says that the Security Council, while expecting an answer from Iran, intends to look at additional measures if there isn’t an answer. It clearly states that these measures do not include the use of force,” he added. “If after a certain period we don’t hear an answer from Iran and discussions aren’t renewed, we will look in the Security Council at additional measures,” he said (Agence France-Presse II/Yahoo!News, July 20). However, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said yesterday that the council was not in a hurry to apply such measures, the Associated Press reported. “We are not in a rush at all,” Churkin said. “We do not want to ambush Iran in any way. We’re very much in a negotiating political mode. We do not want to dictate things to Iran” (Nick Wadhams, Associated Press I/Yahoo!News, July 20). Iran today announced it would offer its formal response to the world powers’ incentives offer on Aug. 22, AP reported. “The package of incentives requires a logical time to study it ... Aug. 22 has been set for declaring (our) views,” Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said in a statement. “In case the path of confrontation is chosen instead of the path of dialogue ... and Iran’s definite rights are threatened, then there will be no option for Iran but to reconsider its nuclear policies,” the statement says. “Iran is not after tension, but if others push things toward tension and create problems, then all will face problems. Iran believes dialogue is the most logical solution. It is serious in this path. We want the other side to return to the negotiating table,” it adds (Associated Press II/Yahoo!News, July 20). Meanwhile, Bulgarian officials intercepted a shipment of radioactive material en route to Iran, AFP reported. A truck registered in Turkey and carrying cesium and other radioactive materials was “destined for Istanbul and Tehran,” said a top Bulgarian nuclear official. “In our view these materials could be used for industrial purposes,” the official said (Agence France-Presse III/IranMania.com, July 19).
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