|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
 |
 |
    |
|
|
|||
 |
|
||
|
|||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
U.S. Urges Freeze on Iran Nuclear Assistance
The United States yesterday called for an international freeze on nuclear cooperation with Iran in light of the International Atomic Energy Agency governing board’s finding that Tehran was not in compliance with nonproliferation safeguards, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Oct. 3). “We hope that all governments will take note of the board’s finding of noncompliance and adjust their national policies accordingly,” acting Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Stephen Rademaker told a disarmament committee of the U.N. General Assembly. “We think it self-evident that, in the face of such a finding, no government should permit new nuclear transfers to Iran, and all ongoing nuclear projects should be frozen,” Rademaker said. He added, however, that Washington was “not prepared to name any country.” “We hope, and I think other members of the (IAEA) Board of Governors hope, that Iran will use this opportunity that’s been extended to them to reconsider what they are doing, and to change course, to suspend, to resuspend uranium conversion and re-engage in the diplomatic process with the EU-3 (France, Germany and the United Kingdom),” Rademaker said. “If they don’t, the Board of Governors was very clear in the resolution ... it will take up the question of fulfilling the obligation that it now has under the IAEA to report the Iran matter to the Security Council and to the General Assembly,” he said (Agence France-Presse I/SpaceWar.com, Oct. 3). Although Rademaker did not name Russia in his statement, diplomats in Moscow inferred that he was referring to the Bushehr nuclear energy reactor, which Russia is helping Iran to build, ITAR-Tass reported today. Nuclear cooperation between the two countries “is no secret to anyone, it is transparent and enjoys international support,” said Anatoliy Antonov, security and disarmament director at the Russian Foreign Ministry. “We believe it is now essential to cool emotions, and for all those involved in the negotiating process to think about joint steps with the aim of reaching specific agreements which would enable us, on the one hand, to dispel any possible doubts regarding the direction of the nuclear program, and on the other, to secure in full Iran’s legitimate needs in the nuclear field,” Antonov said (ITAR-Tass, Oct. 4). Russian officials have also objected to what they see as pressure tactics on Iran by the European Union, the Associated Press reported today. Moscow is against Iran becoming a nuclear power, but sanctions could produce “unpredictable sentiments” and “the radicalization of sentiment in Iran,” said a Kremlin official (Judith Ingram, Associated Press/Khaleej Times, Oct. 4). Iran will seek to hurt U.S. interests if Washington increases pressure over its nuclear program, a senior Iranian official said yesterday. “The Americans should know that if they put more pressure on our country, Iran will be obliged to use all means to disrupt the situation and endanger its interests,” top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani told the Siassat Rouz newspaper (Agence France-Presse II/SpaceWar.com, Oct. 3). Iran is unlikely to move on threats to produce nuclear fuel or otherwise escalate the confrontation over its nuclear program before next month’s IAEA Board of Governors meeting, analysts and diplomats said yesterday. “Iran is likely to be cautious. They want to get through the Nov. 24 board” meeting, MacArthur Foundation nonproliferation expert Gary Samore told AFP. Iran has threatened to resume uranium enrichment and to cut crude oil exports, AFP reported. Diplomats said such moves were likely to prompt a hasty board meeting and possibly Iran’s referral to the U.N. Security Council. “Iran has a good chance of blocking referral and they are close to getting away with [uranium] conversion,” Samore said. “They have no interest now to escalate the situation,” he said. “Both the West and Iran had backed themselves into a corner over this issue and are looking for a face-saving solution,” said a Western diplomat close to the agency (Agence France-Presse III/SpaceWar.com, Oct. 3). Iran said today it was willing to resume nuclear negotiations with the European Union, Reuters reported. “Iran has no problem with resuming talks. But it will not accept conditional talks under pressure,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi. “Instead of sending mixed signals, the EU should practically show it is interested in talks,” he said (Reuters/Yahoo!News, Oct. 4).
| ||||||||||
Back to top
