UN says Iran must suspend nuclear program by August 31

By Evelyn Leopold

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council on
Monday demanded that Iran suspend its nuclear activities by
August 31 or face the threat of sanctions, but Tehran denounced
the move as illegal and vowed to press on.

In a resolution passed by 14 to 1, the Security Council for
the first time included legally binding demands on Iran and a
sanctions threat.

Qatar, the only Arab member, voted against it.

The resolution, which followed weeks of negotiations,
demanded that Iran “suspend all enrichment-related and
reprocessing activities, including research and development.”

If Tehran does not comply by the deadline, the council
would consider adopting “appropriate measures” under Article 41
of Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which refers to diplomatic
and economic sanctions.

The United States and its allies suspect Iran is developing
a nuclear bomb and accuse it of hiding its research for the
past 18 years.

But Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Javad Zarif recited Tehran’s
history of alleged mistreatment by the West, including a lack
of action when Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi government used chemical
weapons against his country.

He said “Iran’s peaceful nuclear program poses no threat to
international peace and security and therefore dealing with
this issue in the Security Council is unwarranted and void of
any legal basis or practical utility.”

“The people and government of the Islamic Republic of Iran
are determined to exercise their inalienable right to nuclear
technology for peaceful purposes,” Zarif told the council.

In Tehran, Kazem Jalali, a spokesman for the Iranian
parliament’s foreign affairs and security commission, said the
resolution was “unacceptable” and would create a situation
where no one benefits.

“It seems America has done its utmost to divert Iran’s case
from the path of dialogue and drag it into crisis,” Jalali told
the Students News agency.

But President George W. Bush told reporters during a trip
to Miami it was “a strong resolution.”

“The Iranians must hear loud and clear with this resolution
the world’s intent, upon working together, to make sure that
they do not end up with a nuclear weapon,” Bush said.

INCENTIVES

European delegates took pains to emphasize that if Iran
cooperates and suspends its uranium enrichment activities, a
package of energy, technological and commercial incentives,
offered in June would be forthcoming.

“The choice is Iran’s. The door to negotiations is open,”
said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin.

“Our proposals suggest a procedure for reviewing the
moratorium once international confidence in Iran’s intentions
has been restored,” Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry
told the council. “But the continuation of enrichment related
and reprocessing activities, including research and
development, would allow Iran to develop the know-how to
produce fissile material suitable for use in nuclear weapons.”

While U.S. Ambassador John Bolton characterized Zarif’s
address as a rejection, Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin
said he preferred to view Iran’s response in a positive light
because Zarif did not specifically use the word “rejection.”

Bolton said Iran had not been in compliance with the
demands of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency, the International
Atomic Energy Agency, for three years.

“Sadly, Iran has consistently and brazenly defied the
international community by continuing its pursuit of nuclear
weapons, and the continued intransigence and defiance of the
Iranian leadership demands a strong response from this
council,” Bolton said.

Russia and China are reluctant to impose sanctions and
Churkin has said the sanctions provision meant the council
would only have “a discussion” on punitive measures.

Iran has said it would respond to the incentives package on
August 22. But Zarif accused European and American negotiators
of drawing “arbitrary red lines and deadlines that have closed
the door to any compromise.

The resolution was adopted under Chapter 7 of the U.N.
Charter, which makes it mandatory and provides options for
enforcement. The document excludes any military action.

Qatar’s U.N. ambassador, Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, said he voted
“no” because of the conflict between Israel and Hizbollah
militants. “We do not agree with the resolution at a time when
our region is in flames,” he said.