Kings Point, N.Y. – President Bush told Iran on Monday that nations won’t back down from the demand that Tehran suspend uranium enrichment.
“Iran’s leaders have a clear choice. We hope they will accept our offer and voluntarily suspend these activities so we can work out an agreement that will bring Iran real benefits,” Bush said a day before leaving for Vienna, where he will talk with European Union officials who are leading efforts to resolve the nuclear dispute.
If Iran’s leaders reject the offer, they will face action before the U.N. Security Council and progressively stronger political and economic sanctions, Bush said during a commencement speech at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
Bush discussed Iran with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday during an 18-minute phone call that Putin placed to Bush.
“The presidents agreed on the importance of remaining united in their efforts to press Iran to suspend all enrichment activities and begin negotiations on the incentives package,” said Kate Starr, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council.
On Sunday, Iran accused the United States of trying to sway European nations from a compromise.
Bush made it clear that he would not budge. He said allowing Iran to enrich uranium, a process that can make nuclear fuel for a power plant or fissile material for an atomic bomb, would present a grave threat to the world.
On June 6, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana presented a package of rewards and possible penalties to Iran. The package calls on Iran to suspend, not permanently halt, uranium enrichment as a condition for the start of talks, although the negotiations are aimed at getting Iran to agree to a long-term moratorium on such activity.
Iran says enriching uranium is its country’s right. Iranian officials say they are reviewing the package and will propose amendments.
