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Weaker nuclear warning for Iran

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published August 1, 2006

UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council passed a weakened resolution Monday giving Iran until Aug. 31 to suspend uranium enrichment or face the threat of economic and diplomatic sanctions.

Iran immediately rejected the resolution, saying it would only make negotiations more difficult concerning a package of incentives offered in June for it to suspend enrichment.

"All along it has been the persistence of some to draw arbitrary red lines and deadlines that has closed the door to any compromise," said Iran's U.N. ambassador, Javad Zarif. "This tendency has single-handedly blocked success and in most cases killed proposals in their infancy."

Because of Russian and Chinese demands, the text was watered down from earlier drafts, which would have made the threat of sanctions immediate. The draft now essentially requires the council to hold more discussions before it considers sanctions.

The draft passed by a vote of 14-1. Qatar, which represents Arab states on the council, cast the lone dissenting vote.

President Bush, in Miami, thanked U.S. allies who backed the resolution, saying, "The Iranians must hear loud and clear that the world is intent on working together to make sure that they do not end up with a nuclear weapon or the know-how to build a nuclear weapon."

Drafted by Britain, France and Germany with U.S. backing, the resolution follows a July 12 agreement - by the foreign ministers of those four countries, plus Russia and China - to refer Tehran to the Security Council for not responding to the incentives package.

The ministers asked that council members adopt a resolution making Iran's suspension of enrichment activities mandatory. The resolution includes that demand and calls on all states "to exercise vigilance" in preventing the transfer of goods that could be used for Iran's enrichment and ballistic missile programs.

Tehran said last week it would reply to the Western incentive package on Aug. 22, but the council decided to go ahead with a resolution and not wait for Iran's response.

On Friday, Iran again called for international negotiations on its nuclear ambitions and said it was considering the incentives. Western nations have dismissed the idea of such talks without a halt to Iran's uranium enrichment.

The United States and some of its allies accuse Iran of seeking to produce highly enriched uranium and plutonium for nuclear weapons. Tehran maintains its nuclear program is purely peaceful and aimed at generating electricity.

Explaining his "no" vote, Qatar's U.N. ambassador, Nassir Al-Nasser, said that while the demands of the six nations were legitimate, they will only exacerbate tensions in the region and Iran should be given more time to respond.

"We do not agree with the tabling of this resolution at a time when our region is in flames," Nasser said.

[Last modified August 1, 2006, 02:12:40]