Security Council nations seek to break Iran nuclear deadlock
Members of the UN Security Council sought to break a deadlock over Iran’s suspect nuclear programme today.
The move came after Britain and France abruptly called off consultations because they were no closer to a deal with Russia and China on how to pressure Tehran to stop enriching uranium, diplomats said.
Britain, France and the United States planned to spend much of today in bilateral talks with each other and Russia and China, going back over proposals for a council statement.
They could circulate a new text late in the day.
The decision to cancel the council discussion yesterday reflected just how much the United States and its European allies had failed to get Russia and China on board during a meeting of high-level diplomats in New York the night before.
The United States and its European allies want the Security Council to approve a statement reiterating demands by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, that Iran suspend uranium enrichment, the process that can be used to generate nuclear power or make nuclear weapons.
