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The Bush administration said Tuesday it
has begun consultations on a new U.N. Security Council resolution that
would further penalize Iran for failing to heed demands to halt uranium
enrichment. An initial Security Council deadline for Iran to comply
expires Wednesday. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
The Security Council is awaiting a formal report from International
Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei on Iran's compliance with the
December 23 resolution.
But officials here say it is already clear that Iran has failed to heed
its terms, and they say the United States has begun consulting with other
council members on a follow-up resolution to increase the pressure on
Tehran.
Briefing reporters, State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey said
Tehran has neither halted enrichment and related activities as called for
in U.N. resolution 1736, nor replied to questions posed by the IAEA about
its nuclear intentions:
"We're certainly considering an additional resolution in the Security
Council depending on what we see in that report, and depending on how we
view the next steps in this process. Certainly we want to make sure that
Iran understands, that the government of Iran understands, that they're
going continue to pay an increasing price for their defiance of the
international community," he said.
The December 23 resolution imposed sanctions targeting Iran's nuclear
and missile programs, and key persons involved in them, and gave Tehran 60
days to halt enrichment or face additional measures, a deadline that
expires Wednesday.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday his country was
ready to stop its enrichment program and return to talks, but only if
Western nations stop their own enrichment activities.
White House Press Secretary Tony Snow immediately dismissed that offer
as another attempt by Tehran to sidestep its responsibility under the U.N.
resolution. "The international community has made it clear that Iran
should not be in a position to develop or possess nuclear weapons. So that
is a false offer because the position of the international community is
clear. And furthermore the offer, the offer of help, the offer of nuclear
power for the Iranian people - that's out on the table as well. So now
it's the responsibility of the Iranians to step forward and act," he said.
The United States and key allies believe that Iran's nominally peaceful
nuclear program has long concealed a secret weapons project.
They have offered to assist Iran with civilian nuclear power, but only
if fuel for its generating plants is produced outside the country and sent
back abroad after its use.
Under those terms, the United States had with some reluctance supported
a Russian effort to complete a partially built nuclear power plant for
Iran at Bushehr on the Persian Gulf.
But Tuesday State Department Spokesman Casey expressed relief over
reports Russia may be preparing to suspend the project because Iran has
fallen behind on payments.
He said it is very clear that Moscow shares U.S. concerns about Iran's
intentions, and that regardless of Russia's stated rationale for slowing
the Bushehr project, neither country is anxious to see any aspect of the
Iranian nuclear program move forward.
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