Security Council referral likely for Iran: US

By Saul Hudson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States said on Wednesday
it was likely Iran would be referred to the U.N. Security
Council for possible sanctions over its nuclear programs after
Tehran cleared the way to resume uranium enrichment.

The United States, which has sought for more than a year to
have Iran’s case handled by the world body’s top forum, said
the threat of sanctions involved in such a referral could force
Tehran to negotiate seriously over limiting its programs.

Three top European Union powers were expected to formally
call off moribund nuclear talks with Iran and advocate sending
the dispute to the Security Council when they meet on Thursday,
a diplomat from one of the EU trio said. Britain called on
Wednesday for the U.N. Security Council to consider action
against Iran.

The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain, along
with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, were due to meet at
3:30 p.m. (9:30 a.m. EST) in Berlin to discuss the crisis
caused by Iran’s move to reactivate a nuclear fuel program
mothballed under a November 2004 deal with the European
negotiators.

“Everybody agrees the point of no return has been reached,”
the EU3 diplomat said, referring to what he said was an
informal consensus reached among the bloc’s 25 member states.

“It is more likely than ever that Iran is headed to the
Security Council concerning their failure to live up to their
international obligations,” U.S. State Department spokesman
Sean McCormack said.

Iran says its nuclear program is entirely peaceful, but
Western nations do not believe that. The U.N. nuclear watchdog
has found evidence but no firm proof to the contrary.

Tehran began removing U.N. seals at uranium enrichment
research facilities on Tuesday and announced it would resume
“research and development” on producing enriched uranium, a
technology that can produce atom bomb fuel, prompting angry
reactions from Washington, the European Union and Russia.

Russia and China, which have major energy interests in Iran
previously opposed moving the dispute to the Security Council
where they have veto powers.

Diplomats at the United Nations say the board of the
International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear watchdog could refer
the issue to the Security Council within two weeks.

The council could impose sanctions ranging from travel
curbs on government officials to a full trade embargo such as
those previously imposed on Libya and Iraq.

‘INTENSIVE DIPLOMACY’

“I think that the Iranian regime has made another serious
miscalculation by their latest actions, and we are engaged in
some intensive diplomacy right now. We are talking with our
European friends and others about how to move ahead,” White
House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters traveling with
President George W. Bush in Louisville, Kentucky.

The 35-nation IAEA board needs a simple majority to refer
an issue to the Security Council, which is easy for Western
powers to obtain.

The United States and European powers would prefer a strong
majority that includes developing nations and Russia and it
remains unclear how much international appetite there is for a
quick referral.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shrugged off the
world outcry over Tehran’s decision to resume nuclear fuel
activities.

“The Iranian nation will continue its way decisively and
wisely to obtain and use nuclear technology for civilian ends
and has no fear at all of the fuss created by the big powers,”
he said in a speech in the southern city of Bandar Abbas.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair told Parliament he aimed
to secure international agreement to haul Iran before the
Security Council.

“Then .. we have to decide what measures to take and we
obviously don’t rule out any measures at all,” he added.

Asked if there should be a worldwide economic embargo
against the Islamic republic, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney
told Fox News Radio on Wednesday, “I think the next step will
be probably to go before the U.N. Security Council.”

“And … probably the number one item on the agenda —
would be the resolution that could be enforced by sanctions,
were they to fail to comply with it,” he added.

Crude oil prices rose more than a dollar on Wednesday as
dealers worried the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program could
lead to a disruption in supply from the world’s fourth largest
oil exporter.

(Additional reporting by Louis Charbonneau in Berlin,
Madeline Chambers in London, Oliver Bullough in Moscow, Carol
Giacomo and Saul Hudson in Washington, Steve Holland in
Louisville, Crispian Balmer in Rome and Evelyn Leopold at the
United Nations)