Iran six bide time on sanctions
World powers to press for new round of sanctions upon Iran - but not until publication of two new reports into Tehran's nuclear activities
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Friday, 02, Nov 2007 08:17
Six world powers have agreed to delay imposing fresh sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme until seeing two reports out next month.
The five permanent members of the UN security council –China, France, Russia, the UK and the US – and Germany said they would wait for the publication of reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency's director general Mohamed ElBaradei and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
But after talks in London today the Iran six has agreed in theory to impose a third round of sanctions on Tehran due to suspicions over its enrichment of uranium.
"Political directors agreed to finalise a text for a third UN security council sanctions resolution with the intention of bringing it to a vote in the UN security council unless the November reports of Dr Solana and Dr ElBaradei show a positive outcome of the efforts," a Foreign Office spokesman said.
"[Diplomats] reiterated their commitment to negotiate a long-term solution to the Iranian nuclear issue and urged Iran to take up their offer of negotiation."
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's administration insists that the country's nuclear programme is entirely peaceful, a claim largely dismissed by Washington.
On the other side of the world powers' spectrum on Iran are China and Russia, which have both traditionally adopted a softer approach towards the Middle Eastern country.
Moscow and Beijing – key trading partners of Iran - have consistently advocated increased use of dialogue, as opposed to the US' hawkish stance, which includes a refusal from George Bush to rule out military action.
The political directors representing the world powers are due to meet again on November 19th.