NEW DELHI: Two days before the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is required to report to the United Nations' Security Council whether or not Iran has suspended its uranium enrichment activities, India has said it does not favour the use of force against Teheran.

Asked what was India's position in case there were sanctions or military action against Iran, the External Affairs Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday, "Confrontation or the threat or use of force can only exacerbate tensions in a region which is of vital importance to India and must therefore be avoided at all costs."

India, which has twice voted against Iran and is party to referring Teheran's case to the Security Council, repeated for the umpteenth time that it valued its "civilisational ties" with Teheran.

"We have repeatedly declared that issues relating to Iran's nuclear programme should be resolved through dialogue. Iran has the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purpose, but this must be consistent with its international commitments and obligations. India, along with other friendly countries, has continued to make efforts to reach an amicable resolution of outstanding issues through patient dialogue," a statement said.

It comes close on the heels of the remarks made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on April 18 that Iran had a clandestine nuclear programme for several years and it was not in India's interest to have another nuclear weapons state in the neighbourhood.

The Prime Minister's assertion was at variance with the statement made by IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei to the agency's board of governors on March 6 that over the past three years the IAEA had not seen "indications of diversion of nuclear material to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices."

Dr. ElBaradei, however, referred to the uncertainties with regard to both the scope and the nature of Iran's nuclear programme. "Only through clarification of all questions relevant to Iran's past programme and through confidence building measures can confidence about Iran's current nuclear activities be restored. This is clearly in the interest of both Iran and the international community," he added.

On March 29, the U.N. Security Council in a presidential statement noted with "serious concern" Iran's decision to resume enrichment-related activities, including research and development, and to suspend cooperation with the IAEA under the additional protocol.

Suspension

The Council also called for re-establishing full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, to be verified by the IAEA.

"The Security Council requests in 30 days a report from the Director-General of the IAEA on the process of Iranian compliance with the steps required by the IAEA Board, to the IAEA Board of Governors and in parallel to the Security Council for its consideration."

That report is due on April 28, following which the Council will take up Iran's case again.

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