US - EU fail to refer Iran to Security Council; great fear Iran will escalate reaction
The International Atomic Energy Agency issued a resolution today that failed, as promissed by the US and the EU-3 countries, to refer Iran to the UN Security Council, although the resolution was weakened, it still contained pressure elements that indicate that such action is possible in the future.
The resolution said "Deploring the fact that Iran has to date failed to heed the call by the Board in its resolution of 11 August 2005 to re-establish full suspension of all enrichment related activities including the production of feed material, including through tests or production at the Uranium Conversion Facility,"
The resolution said "Requests the Director General to continue his efforts to implement this and previous Resolutions and to report again, including any further developments on the issues raised in his report of 2 September 2005 (GOV/2005/67) to the Board. The Board will address the timing and content of the report"
The resolution said "urges Iran:
(i) To implement transparency measures, as requested by the Director General in his report, which extend beyond the formal requirements of the Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol, and include access to individuals, documentation relating to procurement, dual use equipment, certain military owned workshops and research and development locations;
(ii) To re-establish full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related activity, as in GOV/2005/64, and reprocessing activity;
(iii) To reconsider the construction of a research reactor moderated by heavy water;
(iv) Promptly to ratify and implement in full the Additional Protocol;
(v) Pending completion of the ratification of the Additional Protocol to continue to act in accordance with the provisions of the Additional Protocol, which Iran signed on 18 December
2003;"
"1. Finds that Iran's many failures and breaches of its obligations to comply with its NPT Safeguards Agreement, as detailed in GOV/2003/75, constitute non compliance in the context of Article XII.C of the Agency's Statute;
2. Finds also that the history of concealment of Iran's nuclear activities referred to in the Director General's report, the nature of these activities, issues brought to light in the course of the Agency's
verification of declarations made by Iran since September 2002 and the resulting absence of confidence that Iran's nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes have given rise to questions that are within the competence of the Security Council, as the organ bearing the main responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security;"
Deputy Head of Iran Supreme National Security Council (NSC) Javad Vaidi said today that lack of consensus on the part of European proposed draft resolution on Iran's nuclear dossier at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Governing Board is a rear step in the history of the nuclear watchdog agency, IRNA reported.
Only 22 countries of the total 35 voted in favor of the resolution," he added. Vaidi also Iran's chief negotiator said after the Saturday's Board of Governor's session that the US and Britain were striving to show that there is a broad consensus in the world on Iran nuclear file, but their plans fell through. "Based on the resolution the immediate referral of the case to the Security Council was voted down."
The US and Britain were trying to urgently send Iran's file to the Security Council in which they were also unsuccessful. Their third failure was that concerns in Iran nuclear activities were strictly limited to the West which was also evident in the composition of the IAEA Board of Governors's votes. The Western states voting pattern was to be expected Vaidi said adding that "Tehran will carefully review the South-Korea and India's decisions."
Due to undue pressure and threats by the European trio of France, Britain and Germany any negotiations, at this time with these countries is futile, he added.
"They were presumptuous and instead of inviting us for negotiations they assumed a confrontational posture and were after an impasse in the talks."
He said that Tehran will decide on the voluntary suspension of Uranium enrichment in the 'Natanz' facility and enforcement of the Additional Protocol. The US will fail in its objective of depriving Iran of its legitimate right of peaceful nuclear activities specially the completion of the uranium enrichment cycle, he said.
Comments of the Iranian officials could indicate, that countries such as India and others, even those who did not vote in favor of the resolution, either have been subjected to great US pressure and/or have desire to not see Iran develop nuclear capabilities, and are unable to express this policy explicitily.
Meantime, there is clearly concern that Iran will move ahead quickly undeterred by the tactics to box it slowly, affirming Iran's complete right to Uranium enrichment, and starting this activity at all its facilities, setting the stage for a possible further challenge by the US which could lead to Iran withdrawing from the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. This concern of Iran quickly escalating its activities was expressed by the US, where a report by the Department of State quoted chief U.S. negotiator saying Iran should "not threaten to withdraw from [Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty]. A country seeking our confidence would suspend activities of concern, not threaten to start the next stage."