AUSTRIA: Iran will continue cooperation on the condition that a "constructive approach is not jeopardised by any measure in the Security Council," Iran's ambassador to IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, says

Iran will continue cooperation on the condition that a "constructive approach is not jeopardised by any measure in the Security Council," Iran's ambassador to IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, says. The U.N. nuclear watchdog chief said on Thursday (November 22) Iran was clarifying atomic development efforts on schedule, countering Western doubts, but Tehran must step up cooperation to resolve remaining questions this year. Mohamed ElBaradei summarised findings of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report on Iran at a debate of the IAEA's governing board, where differences simmered over whether Iran's improved transparency is cause for hope or further scepticism. The West fears Iran is secretly trying to build atom bombs. Iran says it wants to get electricity from uranium enrichment. ElBaradei, believed to be concerned by U.S.-led criticism of the transparency plan's limitations and resolve to isolate Iran with harsher sanctions, said the plan was on track -- after some Western powers suggested Iran was dragging its heels. "Our progress over the past two months has been made possible by an increased level of cooperation on the part of Iran, in accordance with the work plan. However, I would continue to urge Iran to be more proactive in providing information, and in accelerating the pace of this cooperation, in order for the Agency to be able to clarify all major remaining outstanding issues by the end of the year," he said. The IAEA wants credible explanations for traces of highly enriched -- or bomb-grade -- uranium that inspectors found at research sites, and intelligence on links between uranium processing, explosives tests and a missile warhead design. Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to the IAEA, told reporters the agency's report showed Iran had been truthful about its nuclear course but warned against further sanctions. "We will continue this mood of cooperation provided that the international community and peace-loving countries prevent the United States or others to make noise and create problems and jeopardise this constructive approach by any measure in the United Nations Security Council," he said. Asked if he was worried about U.N. sanctions, he said: "Not at all because there is no justification for sanctions, apart from the fact that sanction has a negative consequences and it is proved now that the policy of carrot and stick, language of threat has been always counterproductive." "If you are going to use the language of threat or sanctions in fact it has proved that it is counterproductive and it will not work, definitely. Therefore I advise the United States' present administration to come out of isolation and join the consensus. The international community will support these activities, because the international community is vigilant that we should not go towards confrontation, Soltanieh said. Washington and key allies France, Britain and Germany were expected to commend IAEA progress in illuminating Iran's past, but say Iran was not meeting a broad "litmus test" requiring full disclosure of present activity and a suspension. Russia and China were likely to cast the IAEA's report in a more positive light and warn against disrupting it. Both have blocked tougher sanctions, calling them counterproductive, but have pressed Iran harder to be open and halt enrichment.

ITN Source | November 22, 2007

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