Iran sends mixed signals after UN referral
Iran has sent mixed messages after the UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, agreed to refer it to the UN security council over the weekend.
The country has resumed full nuclear research activities and blocked access to international inspectors but also signalled readiness to go back to talks.
"We have not reached a dead end, and there have been more difficult situations," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hamed Reza-Asefi said on Sunday (5 February).
His statement came hours after Iranian authorities ceased voluntary co-operation with the IAEA and withdrew their permission for its snap inspections of nuclear facilities.
Tehran also restarted full-scale nuclear research, in retaliation against a vote by 27 countries at an IAEA governing board meeting to report the Islamic country to the security council for potential sanctions on Saturday.
All five permanent members of the security council backed the referral, including China and Russia which had previously opposed it, while only Syria, Cuba and Venezuela voted against and five countries abstained.
The security council is not expected to take any action before 6 March however, when the IAEA's chief Mohamed El Baradei is due to report on the latest situation in Tehran.
Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the west "can't do a thing" to stop Iran's progress.
"The era of coercion and domination has ended," Mr Ahmadinejad noted according to Iranian media.
"Issue as many resolutions like this as you want and make yourself happy. You can't prevent the progress of the Iranian nation," he added.
Diplomats are still hopeful Iran will re-consider Moscow's offer to carry out large-scale uranium enrichment operations on Russian territory in a bid to alleviate suspicions that its own programme could mask weapons goals.
The two countries are scheduled to meet next week.
Uranium enrichment is a process that creates fuel for nuclear reactors, but can also be ised to build a nuclear bomb.
Iran denies having such plans, claiming it only wants to use the nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
The country has resumed full nuclear research activities and blocked access to international inspectors but also signalled readiness to go back to talks.
"We have not reached a dead end, and there have been more difficult situations," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hamed Reza-Asefi said on Sunday (5 February).
His statement came hours after Iranian authorities ceased voluntary co-operation with the IAEA and withdrew their permission for its snap inspections of nuclear facilities.
Tehran also restarted full-scale nuclear research, in retaliation against a vote by 27 countries at an IAEA governing board meeting to report the Islamic country to the security council for potential sanctions on Saturday.
All five permanent members of the security council backed the referral, including China and Russia which had previously opposed it, while only Syria, Cuba and Venezuela voted against and five countries abstained.
The security council is not expected to take any action before 6 March however, when the IAEA's chief Mohamed El Baradei is due to report on the latest situation in Tehran.
Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the west "can't do a thing" to stop Iran's progress.
"The era of coercion and domination has ended," Mr Ahmadinejad noted according to Iranian media.
"Issue as many resolutions like this as you want and make yourself happy. You can't prevent the progress of the Iranian nation," he added.
Diplomats are still hopeful Iran will re-consider Moscow's offer to carry out large-scale uranium enrichment operations on Russian territory in a bid to alleviate suspicions that its own programme could mask weapons goals.
The two countries are scheduled to meet next week.
Uranium enrichment is a process that creates fuel for nuclear reactors, but can also be ised to build a nuclear bomb.
Iran denies having such plans, claiming it only wants to use the nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
posted by Marko at 2/06/2006 08:40:00 AM
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