EU lambasts Iran over nuclear ambitions

VIENNA (Reuters) – The European Union hardened its stance
on Iran on Wednesday, saying it was “deeply concerned” about
Tehran’s determination to press ahead with a nuclear program
which could produce atomic bombs.

“We … regret, and feel deeply concerned by the fact that
Iran gives every sign of being intent on developing a fissile
material production capability well before the international
community obtains what it needs: confidence that Iran’s program
is exclusively peaceful in nature,” the EU said in a statement
on behalf of 25 EU members and other European states.

The statement was read by British Ambassador Peter Jenkins
during a closed-door meeting of the International Atomic Energy
Agency’s (IAEA) 35-nation board of governors, which is
discussing an EU draft resolution that would report Iran to the
U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.

The statement, which echoed U.S. language on the Iranian
nuclear program, called on the IAEA board to report Iran to the
Security Council for its “breaches and failures” to comply with
the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).