President Bush
Photo: Reuters
U.S. seeks IAEA cooperation on Iran
American diplomats frustrated by Security Council's failure to act against Iran
The United States is considering turning to the International Atomic Energy Agency to turn up the pressure on Iran out of frustration with Russian and Chinese opposition to firm U.N. Security Council action against Tehran's nuclear ambitions, diplomats said Wednesday.
The diplomats, who demanded anonymity because they were not authorized to reveal the American initiative, said the U.S. delegation to the IAEA - the U.N. nuclear watchdog - had contacted other national delegations over the past few days to gauge support for a special IAEA board meeting on Iran.
Nuke Threat
Associated Press
U.S. president says all options are on the table in dealing with Iran's nuclear program
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei is set to present the Security Council with a report on Iran's nuclear program by the end of this month.
The representatives of the five permanent members of the Council convened in Moscow on Tuesday, but had achieved no progress in the talks, apparently due to Russia's and China's reservations. The U.S. and Britain have threatened that if Iran fails to meet the deadline set by the Council, April 28, they would move to formulate a new resolution. However, the two countries are expected to face many hurdles along the way, mainly because of Russia's firm opposition to the implementation of any sanctions.
Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said at the conclusion of the Moscow talks that further discussions on sanctions were required. Iran's actions last week deepened the international community's concerns, he said, adding that everyone agrees that the steps Iran has taken are negative, and that by taking them Iran has moved back.
According to Robert Einhorn of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Russia plays a major role in persuading Iran that if it keeps moving in the current direction, this would have serious ramifications. Iran is certain that if Russia stays true to its position, it need not worry about sanctions, he stated.
Meanwhile, the Russians are attempting to at least create the impression that they are pressuring Iran. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called on Iran on Wednesday to halt all uranium enrichment activities, saying the international community is demanding "urgent and constructive steps" from Tehran to ease concerns about its nuclear program.
Ali Larijani, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, has flown to Russia in order to hold talks with European officials.
