Iranian refusal to meet ultimatum would be 'very regrettable'
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said an Iranian refusal to freeze uranium enrichment by today’s UN deadline would be “very regrettable” and the international community would be unable to ignore the move.
Iran has given no indication it will comply with UN Security Council demands that it freeze uranium enrichment or risk facing sanctions.
“It would be very regrettable if Iran lets this deadline pass,” Merkel said during a visit to the German navy in the Baltic Sea port of Warnemuende.
“We have made Iran a very, very good offer,” she said, alluding to a package of incentives aimed at persuading the country to curb its nuclear activities.
If Iran does not accept, “we will not slam the door shut, but we cannot act as if nothing had happened,” Merkel said.
In comments published earlier today, Merkel’s foreign minister expressed fresh suspicion that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons.
“At the moment, Iran has no use whatsoever for enriched uranium – unless it is planning to build the bomb. And we must prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb,” Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was quoted as saying in the Bild daily.
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