World powers seek Iran sanctions

Adjust font size:

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Foreign ministers seeking to defuse the crisis over Iran's nuclear ambitions agreed Friday to consult on possible U.N. sanctions, expressing disappointment at Tehran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.

"We're deeply disappointed that ... Iran is not prepared to suspend its enrichment-related and reprocessing activities as required by the IAEA board," British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said.

"Accordingly we will now consult on measures under article 41 of chapter 7 of the UN charter as envisaged in that resolution," she added after talks in London.

Iran on Thursday repeated that it would not stop uranium enrichment. Its government says the program is only for power generation but the West suspects it wants to make a nuclear bomb. (Full story)

Apart from Germany, the countries meeting in London are the veto-wielding United Nations Security Council members.

U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey earlier told CNN the discussions were expected to focus on possible sanctions.

"Certainly I expect that discussions of how to proceed, in terms of a sanctions resolution, as called for under Security Council Resolution 1696, would be part of that discussion," Casey noted that European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana had signaled his discussions with Iranian nuclear negotiators "are drawing to an end."

"It's clear that we don't have a positive response from the Iranians to the offer that's been made to them." Casey said. "As we've always said, the next step then is to proceed with a sanctions resolution" under Chapter 7 of the United Nations charter.

While Casey declined to offer a concrete timeline for such a resolution, he said the time "has drawn pretty near."

A spokesman for the UK Foreign Office, which said earlier this week that a U.N. draft resolution on sanctions was being prepared, said the aim of Friday's meeting was to reach agreement on where to go next.

"This is an opportunity for all parties to meet face to face to assess where we've got to in discussions with Iran and see where we next have to go," he told Reuters.

'Iran's nuclear right'

Earlier this week U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice -- who arrived late to Friday's meeting -- said she had seen nothing to indicate that Iran was prepared to suspend uranium enrichment. (Full story)

Her comments came Monday during a re-fueling stop in Shannon, Ireland, en route to the Middle East.

"I think it's fair to say that we have not yet heard anything that suggests the Iranians are going to suspend," Rice said. "In fact, you've probably have seen the statements to the contrary from the Iranian President."

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said Iran would not give up its right to nuclear technology, Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

"Iran's enemies, who are against the progress and development of the Iranian nation, oppose our access to nuclear energy on the pretext of development of nuclear weapons by Iran," he said on Saturday, according to IRNA.

"They cannot witness the advancement of Iranian youth in science and technology. Therefore, under the excuse of Iran's possible deviation from nuclear path, they deny Iran's nuclear right."

The U.N. Security Council demanded that Iran suspend all uranium enrichment by August 31 or face the possibility of economic sanctions. Iran missed the deadline but said it would consider temporarily suspending its program as a condition for talks with the United States.

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana met with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani last week, but there was no breakthrough and no commitment for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment program.

In June the six world power offered Tehran a package of trade and political incentives, including face-to-face talks with the United States, if it scaled back its enrichment activities and focused on a civil nuclear program.

Under Resolution 1696, Iran must end its nuclear activities or face the possibility of economic sanctions, although China and Russia -- both veto-wielding members of the Security Council -- have been reluctant to sanction Iran or agree on what sanctions should be put in place.

Tools:
Save |
Print |
E-mail |
Most Popular |

Next story in World

World

What are E-mail Alerts? | Manage Alerts | Create Your Own

Senators praise, challenge Sotomayor

The Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor began Monday with leading Democrats and Republicans signaling a fierce ideological debate ...