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Iran referred to U.N.

Simon Tisdall

Process could lead to punitive sanctions

The smouldering international confrontation over Iran's nuclear programme flared into life on Wednesday night after Russia and China agreed to back a U.S.-led move to refer Teheran to the U.N. Security Council, a process that could lead to the imposition of punitive sanctions and a sharp escalation of the crisis.

Foreign Ministers of the five permanent members of the Security Council — the U.S., Britain, France, Russia and China — plus Germany agreed to the referral at a meeting in Paris ahead of this weekend's Group of Eight summit in St. Petersburg.

``We have no choice but to return to the Security Council and continue the process suspended two months ago,'' said Philippe Douste-Blazy, the French Foreign Minister. ``The Iranians have given no indication at all that they are prepared to engage seriously on the substance of our proposals.''

The decision by the group of countries, known as the P5+1, followed inconclusive talks in Brussels on Tuesday between Javier Solana, the E.U.'s foreign policy chief, and Ali Larijani, Iran's top nuclear negotiator and chairman of the country's National Security Council.

At the meeting, Mr Larijani reiterated Iran's previously stated position that it would not offer a formal response to a package of incentives proferred by the West until it was ready, and possibly not before August 22. Western countries had demanded an answer before the G-8 summit, which is now likely to be dominated by the two nuclear-related disputes with Iran and North Korea.

``We should have more time, be patient, and try to negotiate,'' Mr Larijani said after the Solana meeting. He added that Iran was still seeking clarifications and guarantees concerning some of the West's proposals, and that its response would be formulated only after three parliamentary committees in Teheran had completed their assessment.

The Western package, which is understood to include technological and economic incentives, is dependent on Iran agreeing to suspend all its uranium enrichment activities indefinitely. —

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

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