Iran accuses US of sabotaging Russian nuclear deal
Iran’s top nuclear negotiator today insisted that bilateral talks should continue on a Russian offer to enrich uranium for Iran and warned that handing over the nuclear issue to the UN Security Council – as the US has demanded - would kill Moscow’s initiative.
“America is lying, trying to destroy the Russian proposal,” Ali Larijani said at a news conference.
“The Americans’ insistence on handing over the Iranian nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council means the destruction of the Russian proposal.”
Larijani said his team had put forward a “package proposal” in yesterday’s talks in Moscow, denying that the discussions had ended in failure. “We need to give diplomats time to look at it,” he said.
Russia has urged Iran to freeze its domestic uranium enrichment programme as a condition for its offer to create a joint venture to enrich uranium for Tehran on Russian territory.
But Larijani reaffirmed Tehran’s refusal to give it up following yesterday’s talks. The point was reinforced by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who said during a visit to Malaysia that “it is very clear that we are not open to negotiating on our inalienable rights.”
A Russian nuclear agency official said the Moscow talks had snagged over Iran’s refusal to return to a moratorium on enrichment. “They are ready in principle to accept our proposal, but we don’t want to discuss it separately from the need for Iran to return to the moratorium,” the official said.
Talks between Russia and Iran resumed today, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported, quoting an unnamed official close to the negotiations.
“Consultations are taking place,” the official was quoted as saying by ITAR-Tass, without specifying who was participating in the talks on either side. The Iranian delegation was to expected to fly out of Moscow later today ahead of talks in Vienna with three European nations due to take place tomorrow.
The US State Department said yesterday that Iran’s persistence in conducting its own enrichment gave reason to hand over the Iranian nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council.
“The Americans are saying one thing in words, but then they throw a spanner into the works,” Larijani said.
Larijani said Tehran will conduct separate talks with Britain, France and Germany – which have represented the European Union in nuclear negotiations with Iran – before a key meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s governing board on Monday.
The Vienna-based IAEA board of governors could start a process leading to punishment by the UN Security Council, which has the authority to impose sanctions on Iran.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is only to generate power, but many in the West fear Iran is aiming to develop atomic weapons.
Moscow’s offer to have Iran’s uranium enrichment programme transferred to Russia has been backed by the US and the EU as a way to provide more assurances that Tehran’s atomic programme could not be used to build weapons.
Larijani also said Tehran would accept inspections by the United Nations nuclear watchdog if the IAEA allows it to pursue its nuclear programme.
Asked about IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei’s reported statement that the world may have to get used to the idea of Iran’s having limited enrichment capabilities, Larijani said it reflected a “realistic approach".
“I hope that people and ears can be found to listen to this proposal. I think that Mr. ElBaradei’s idea can be turned into a new formula, it can be studied,” he said.
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