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POLITICS: Diplomacy Intensifies on Iran’s Nuke Programme

Haider Rizvi

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 31 2006 (IPS) - As the U.N. Security Council deadline elapsed for Iran to halt its uranium enrichment-related activities Thursday, the United States renewed threats of a possible international economic blockade of Tehran.

However, indications are that it may not be able to obtain a unanimous decision from the 15-member Security Council.

Accusing Iran of continuing to pursue a nuclear weapons capability, during an encounter with reporters at the U.N. headquarters, John Bolton, the U.S. ambassador, called for the Security Council to draw up sanctions against Tehran.

“Iran is defying the international community,” he said, citing the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) report that concluded Iran had begun a new round of uranium enrichment in recent days.

Last month, the Security Council passed a resolution that urged Iran to immediately suspend all of its uranium-related activities and warned that Tehran could face “additional appropriate measures” if it failed to abide by the IAEA requirements.

Soon after adopting the resolution, Bolton and other U.S. officials stated that the phrase “additional appropriate measures” meant nothing short of economic sanctions, but Russian and Chinese diplomats said they did not agree with such a reading.

Bolton told reporters that the Russian and Chinese foreign ministers were committed to seeking sanctions, but acknowledged that there was the possibility that the two other key players in the Council might not go along.

“It may happen that there is disagreement about the sanctions,” he told reporters. His statement seems to support speculation that the U.S. and its allies might pursue a course outside the Security Council and impose punitive measures of their own against Iran.

A source closely observing the Russian side in discussions on Tehran’s nuclear programme told IPS that there was “no change in the Russian position at all.”

Despite endorsing the resolution calling for the suspension of Iranian uranium-related activities last month, both Russia and China repeatedly urged for patience and said they would not support economic sanctions.

Though critical of Iran’s refusal to stop uranium enrichment, the IAEA report, leaked to the Reuters news agency, does not validate the U.S. and its European allies’ suspicions that Tehran is trying to develop technology to build nuclear weapons.

“Although, this report does not fully satisfy us,” said Mohammed Saeedi, deputy head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, in a statement, “it shows that America’s propaganda and political ally-motivated claims over Iran’s programs are baseless and based on American officials’ hallucinations.”

Unlike India, Pakistan and Israel, three unofficial nuclear-armed states, Iran has ratified the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and thus is obligated to abide by its rules. Theoretically, the treaty allows non-nuclear weapons states to pursue nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

On Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reiterated his government’s assertion that its nuclear programme is meant for peaceful purposes and that it had no intention of building nuclear weapons.

“The Iranian nation will never abandon its obvious right to peaceful technology,” he said in a public speech Thursday, describing the Western claim that Iran’s nuclear technology might be diverted as “a big lie.”

In Washington, U.S. President George W. Bush, who considers Iran part of “the axis of evil,” commented on Iran’s failure to meet the Security Council deadline as an act of “defiance.”

“It’s time for Iran to make a choice,” he told a meeting of veterans in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also warned Tehran of “consequences.”

Beyond the jingoistic remarks from both sides, multilateral diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute are likely to intensify next week when Javier Solana, the European Union’s (EU) political affairs chief meets with the Iranian nuclear affairs negotiator, Ali Larjani.

The EU seems to be seeking clarification on questions about Iran’s cool response to a package of economic incentives that it had offered to Tehran in return for the suspension of its uranium enrichment.

Last August, Iran resumed its uranium-related activities after Germany, France and Britain, also known as “EU-Three”, pressed Tehran for a binding commitment on fuel cycle activities.

Iran described that demand as “illegal and unwarranted” and believes that it remains the sole reason for imposition of IAEA resolutions and Security Council demands. Part of the international efforts to resolve the issue through diplomacy involves U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan’s visit to Tehran, which starts Saturday. During his two-day stay, Annan is due to meet Ahmadinejad and other leaders.

Diplomats say the Security Council is unlikely to take up the issue before discussing the outcome of Annan’s meeting with Ahmadinejad and the face-to-face talks between Solana and Larjani.

“We will wait until next week,” Bolton told reporters. “We see what happens at that meeting.”