Iran expected to miss U.N. deadline
(AP)
Updated: 2006-04-28 20:22
A top Iranian official handed over material on his
country's nuclear program in an effort to stave off U.N. sanctions, but it may
be a case of too little too late.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad greets
the crowd as he begins his speech in city of Zanjan 330 Km (205 miles)
west of Tehran, Iran April 27, 2006. [Reuters] |
Diplomats said they expect U.N. nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei to find that
Iran failed to meet Friday's deadline for complying with council requests to
suspend uranium enrichment, setting the stage for a confrontation at the
Security Council.
If Iran does not comply, the council is likely to consider punitive measures
against the nation. While Russia and China have been reluctant to endorse
sanctions, the council's three other veto-wielding members say a strong response
is in order.
The United States, France and Britain say if Tehran does not meet the
deadline, they will make the enrichment demand and other conditions compulsory
and they want punitive measures to stay on the table.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said it was time for the Security Council
to act if the world body wished to remain credible.
"The Security Council is the primary and most important institution for the
maintenance of peace and stability and security and it cannot have its word and
its will simply ignored by a member state," Rice told reporters at a NATO
foreign ministers' meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Iran's deputy nuclear chief, Mohammad Saeedi, met Thursday with Olli
Heinonen, the IAEA's deputy director general in charge of Iran's nuclear file.
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