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Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Scorns EU 3’s Draft Nuclear Resolution

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks to the media, as Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki stands behind him, in Tehran, January 18, 2006.

Reuters: Iran scorns EU trio’s draft nuclear resolution

EU powers began circulating a draft resolution on Wednesday for a February 2 meeting of the U.N. nuclear watchdog asking it to report Iran to the Security Council, drawing scorn from Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency will hold an emergency meeting on Iran’s nuclear work at the request of European Union powers, an IAEA spokesman said.

France, Britain, Germany and the United States are expected to push to have Tehran referred to the U.N. Security Council after it resumed research that could be used for generating electricity or making atomic bombs.

France and Germany said the IAEA should send a signal to Iran that its decision to restart nuclear research was unacceptable.

But German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin did not specify what action they expected the IAEA to take its February 2 meeting.

“There is the issue of whether it goes to the U.N. Security Council — this is a question that has to be answered,” Merkel said. “I think we have to think step by step, and above all send a signal to Iran that shows the international community won’t accept it if Iran doesn’t respect the commitments that are expected of it and the promises it has made.”

Villepin said a referral to the Security Council could not be excluded “today” but suggested the door remained open for further diplomacy.

Equivocation on behalf of the Europeans……so what else is new?

Now for the quotes from Irans President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

“It is clear this is politically motivated,” the Iranian president said when asked about the text drafted by France, Britain and Germany, which diplomats said had so far only been seen by U.S. and EU officials.

“We are asking them to step down from their ivory towers and act with a little logic,” the 48-year-old leader told reporters.

The logic is that Iran and President Ahmadinejad want to develop a nuclear weapon and they will stall negotiations until they developed their processes to enrich uranium.

This is the logic.

What more is there to discuss?

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said there was “not much to talk about” and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana agreed.

Iran on Tuesday proposed more talks with the Europeans, who called off the negotiations last week after Tehran removed U.N. seals on uranium enrichment equipment.

Rice, speaking before talks with Solana in Washington, said the EU had made clear Iran had crossed an important threshold.

“Iran must not be allowed to get a nuclear weapon. It must not be allowed to pursue activities that might lead to a nuclear weapon and on that we are fully united,” she said.

More bluster and little substance from Iran.

Flap handicaps less than a 50 per cent chance this matter is referred to the United Nations Security Council after the IEAE meeting in early February.

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Iran Nuclear Watch: France Rejects Iran’s Request for More Talks on Nuclear Program


Iran Nuclear Watch: European Union 3 Draft Resolution Opens Door to United Nations Security Council Sanctions


Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia and China Do NOT Support Sanctions Against Iran

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