International   

World powers for diplomacy on Iran nuclear issue

DUBAI: Distancing themselves from economic and military threats, the five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany have urged diplomacy to defuse the crisis surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme.

Diplomats of the six countries, who met on Wednesday at Wiesbaden, Germany, stressed finding a diplomatic solution to end the nuclear standoff with Iran under the Obama administration. A joint statement issued at the end of the talks also welcomed Washington’s willingness to engage Tehran in direct talks over the nuclear issue. Besides, the six asked Iran to “fully cooperate” with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has been engaged in verifying Iran’s position that it is not engaged in developing atomic weapons. Representatives of the six countries will meet again next month after the Obama administration has completed the review of its policy towards Iran.

On Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asked the industrialised West to be “polite” in dealing with Tehran.

“Bullying powers should learn how to speak correctly and be polite so Iran’s cultured and peace-loving people listen to them,” he said in the north-eastern city of Mashhad. After Iran’s Islamic revolution of 1979 “the era of bullying is over,” he said.Mr. Ahmadinejad made these comments two days after Iran sent into orbit a domestically built satellite using an indigenous launcher.Meanwhile, Russia has offered to help in initiating talks between the United States and Iran. “If somebody asks us to help establish direct dialogue, we are ready to help such dialogue get started,” Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov was quoted as saying. He hoped that a Tehran-Washington dialogue would resolve the nuclear issue.

In a recent interview with Al Arabiya television, Mr. Obama had said: “If countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fist, they will find an extended hand from us.”

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Colombo rejects call for temporary halt to fighting
Russia revitalises cooperation with Cuba
America accused of blackmailing Britain
10 killed in blast near mosque
A rare for U.S. Presidents
It’s Hillary’s Blackberry now
Bigger than Hollywood nightmares
Drought hits America’s “salad bowl”
I’m rooting for Brad, says Jolie
World powers for diplomacy on Iran nuclear issue

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu