"A wait-and-see approach is not an option," Britain, France and Germany told governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after its chief said Iran appeared on course to clearing up questions about its nuclear history by the end of the year.
Mohamed ElBaradei had also reiterated that the IAEA’s knowledge of current Iranian activity was shrinking due to strict Iranian curbs on UN inspector movements, and Iran was expanding uranium enrichment, despite UN calls for a halt.
The statement by the "EU-3" said both matters were "unacceptable … We are interested at least as much in the present and future (of Iran’s program) as the past.
"We recognise Iran has taken some steps in the right direction, but we are disappointed that cooperation is of a partial and reactive nature," the EU-3 said. "So, all in all, the results are not encouraging."
"Therefore we must draw conclusions at the (UN) Security Council," they said, meaning consideration of tougher sanctions in talks with main ally the United States as well as Russia and China. They gave no time frame.
Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said he would meet EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on November 30. Solana confirmed the talks were "very likely". If Solana concludes – as expected – that Iran remains adamant against suspending nuclear fuel production, drafting of sanctions could follow.
Washington echoed the EU-3 stance. While commending the IAEA’s inroads into Iranian secrecy, US envoy Gregory Schulte said he feared little more would be uncovered soon.
"Iran’s consistent policy of selective cooperation and delay tactics suggest that Iran means only to distract the world" from continued proliferation-sensitive nuclear activity, he said.