US position as Iran restarts Uranium enrichment

US Department Of State Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters yesterday that the US is trying its best to halt Iran's civial nuclear activities, with indications that the US does not seem to have such support.

Ereli was asked: the Iranians did break the seals at the Isfahan plant, taking another step. Your response.

ERELI: The IAEA has informed member states that Iran removed all the seals at its uranium conversion facility in Isfahan. We view this as yet another negative step taken by Iran in breach of the November 2004 Paris agreement. It shows that Iran is just isolating itself further, digging itself deeper into a hole. We are -- we continue to work closely with the EU-3 and other members of the IAEA Board of Governors. We want to send Iran a strong message that it is critically important to re-establish the suspension on uranium conversion activities and to cooperate fully with the IAEA in resolving all the unanswered questions about its nuclear program.

As you know, there was a formal meeting of the Board of Governors yesterday. Consultations continue among members of the Board today. There was no formal meeting of the Board of Governors today. We expect the Board to reconvene later in the week to discuss next steps, including a resolution on this issue.

QUESTION: Is it not urgent enough that they -- you would have preferred to Board to continue meeting today and --

ERELI: What's important, I think, is to coordinate and reach a consensus, consultations, discussions with the different members, a very important part of that process and so that's, in our view, a productive use of everybody's time.

QUESTION: So what kind of responses are you getting? I know you're always hesitant to characterize those, but does it appear that the concern you said was shared by the international community yesterday is building into a consensus on a strong resolution?

ERELI: That's what we're working toward. Obviously, we've seen a continued series of provocative actions: refusing the European proposal; rejecting the European proposal; starting conversion -- uranium conversion activity; breaking the seals. And this sends a pretty clear message to the international community that has been received that Iran is moving away from cooperation and is moving away from working with international institutions. And I think that that's a message that's being heard loud and clear by the members of the Board.

QUESTION: But my question was, is that enough to make the international community ready to support a strongly worded resolution?

ERELI: That's what we're working toward. The process isn't over yet, so you're asking me to tell you how it's going to end.

QUESTION: No, I'm not asking you to tell me how it's going.

ERELI: I think that what we're hearing among -- from members of the Board, I think, in what they've said in their public statements as well, is that Iran's actions are regrettable and they are a matter of concern and we are in discussions about what steps should be taken in response.

QUESTION: The breaking of the seals was, according to you last week, the reason you would use to go to the Security Council and now you don't speak anymore about it.

ERELI: Well, and we -- that's not exactly true. I think our position on the referral to the UN Security Council is well known, it hasn't changed and that's a matter of -- frankly, a matter of public record. What we're trying to do, frankly, is to give Iran a chance to do the right thing. The President said yesterday that the UN remains a potential consequence to what Iran is doing. And he also said, and I think this is an important point here, is that we're all knitted up on the same goal. What we want to see is action that prevents Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. That's what the EU-3 wants to see, that's what we want to see, that's what other members of the Board of Governors want to see and that's what our diplomacy is geared toward. And I guess that's the way I'd explain our approach to this.

QUESTION: And what kind of support do you get from the non-aligned movement?

ERELI: I'd say we are working to achieve the broadest consensus possible and the strongest resolution possible.

QUESTION: What does it mean that you want to give Iran a chance to do the right thing? Haven't they had --

ERELI: What we want to see is Iran re-establish suspension and take actions consistent with the Paris agreement. That is still --

QUESTION: But is there a pause? Is there a pause in your efforts to give them a chance to do the right thing? I just -- what's the reference.

ERELI: No, this is what the diplomacy is geared toward -- getting Iran to resume its suspension, do the right thing, walk back from, as I said earlier, walk out of the hole they've dug themselves into and take steps that reassure a worried international community.

QUESTION: Do they have until the end of the year to re-establish their suspension?

ERELI: I don't have a timeframe to share with you. I think that this is something that's probably under discussion in Vienna of looking at a timeframe within which to review Iranian actions.

QUESTION: So they're looking to put a deadline out there for --

ERELI: I think it's not open ended.

Meantime, indicating lack of consensus, Spokeswoman of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Melissa Fleming announced today, according to IRNA, that under the present conditions, despite resumption of nuclear activities by Iran, the relevant dossier is unlikely to be referred to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).