US, Europe agree on Iran N-resolution
The US and western European countries have reached an agreement on a resolution criticising Iran for failing to fully declare its nuclear programme, but which puts off seeking any sanctions until June.
The resolution is to be submitted to the 35-nation board of governors of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is meeting this week at its headquarters in Vienna.
The United States had been pushing for a tough text against Iran, but Britain, France and Germany wanted a milder draft in order to keep Iran cooperating with the IAEA.
The compromise draft text notes “with the most serious concern” that Iran‘s declaration last October on its nuclear programme “did not amount to the correct, complete and final picture of Iran‘s past and present nuclear program, as considered essential” by the board in a resolution it had passed last November.
Omissions
The draft lists omissions by Iran, including failing to declare “a more advanced centrifuge design than previously declared” to make highly enriched uranium that could be weapon-grade.
It also refers to a report in February by IAEA chief Muhammad al-Baradai that finds “that most of the workshops used in Iran‘s centrifuge enrichment programme are ‘owned by military industrial organizations.'”
But it said the IAEA would “defer until its June meeting consideration of progress in verifying Iran‘s declarations and of how to respond to the above-mentioned omissions.”