• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Security Council referral likely for Iran: US

Posted on: Wednesday, 11 January 2006, 18:53 CST

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)

Source: REUTERS

More News in this Category