Vienna – The United States and European Union on Wednesday urged the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog agency to report Iran to the U.N. Security Council for nuclear-treaty violations, but Russia and other influential members of the body expressed reluctance on taking that step.
In strongly worded statements to the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.S. and EU said Iran’s years-long concealment of nuclear activities, coupled with its resumption of uranium conversion last month and the suspension of negotiations with Britain, France and Germany, had undermined the claim that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.
Western governments have expressed additional dismay over conflicting statements by senior Iranian officials in the past two days that they will consider pulling out of the nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty and resuming uranium enrichment if their case is sent to the Security Council. That body could implement punishments ranging from a slap on the wrist to economic sanctions.
“These reckless words only serve to deepen our concerns about the nature and intent of Iran’s nuclear program and intentions,” U.S. Ambassador Greg Schulte told the 35-member board’s closed-door meeting, according to a copy of his statement released afterward.
Canadian, Australian and Japanese officials also pressed the board Wednesday to report Iran to the Security Council, diplomats said. They spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the subject.
But the drive was running into stiff opposition from key board members, including Russia and China and a large contingent of countries from the Non-Aligned Movement, raising doubts that the matter would come to a vote this week.
“While Iran is cooperating with the IAEA, while it is not enriching uranium and observing a moratorium, while IAEA inspectors are working in the country, it would be counterproductive to report this question to the U.N. Security Council,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a speech at Stanford University, Reuters news agency reported.
The IAEA board’s 14-member Non-Aligned Movement is scheduled to present its position today, IAEA officials said.
