Iran renews promise not to seek nuclear weapons
Iran renewed its promise today to refrain from developing nuclear weapons, Britain’s foreign minister Jack Straw said, at least temporarily averting being hauled before the UN Security Council to face possible international sanctions.
“Iran has for its part reaffirmed its commitment not to seek to develop nuclear weapons,” Straw told reporters.
Key European ministers met for three hours with Iranian officials in an attempting to avert a showdown between Iran and the US over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The Europeans agreed to come up with proposals that would be presented to Iran at the end of July or early August. They provided no details about the proposals.
“We need to consult in Tehran before we make a decision” about whether to accept the plan by Europe to present more proposals, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Hasan Rowhani said. “We believe following the discussions today we could come to a final agreement within a reasonably short time.”
Tehran will stick to its commitment under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty not to develop atomic weapons, Rowhani said.
Following months of fruitless talks, the EU had begun warning that it was moving toward the US position that Tehran should be brought before the UN Security Council for suspicious nuclear activities in violation of the non-proliferation treaty.
To avoid a showdown that could result in UN sanctions, Tehran agreed to meet the three European ministers and Solana for last-ditch talks in Geneva.
The EU push followed Iran’s announcement last week that it was considering restarting its uranium-enrichment programme, which Iran insists is only aimed at generating electricity as permitted under the non-proliferation treaty. The EU and the US fear the programme is being used to develop nuclear weapons.
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said he was happy that the issue hadn’t ended up before the Security Council.
“We are still searching for an agreement to bridge the differences,” Fischer said. “It’s not a question of pessimism or optimism but rather realism.”
A November 2004 Paris accord under which Iran agreed to suspend uranium enrichment activities in return for British, French and German guarantees that Iran has the right to pursue a peaceful nuclear programme remains in place, Straw said.
“We continue working in the spirit of Paris and from here on it will take us a few weeks to make concrete proposals with the goal of putting in place a civilian programme,” said French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier.
