Agence France Presse – The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a statement giving Iran 30 days to abandon its uranium enrichment activities, but failed to mention steps it might take if Tehran fails to comply.
The watered-down text worked out among the five veto-wielding permanent members was unanimously adopted by the 15 members on the eve of a Berlin meeting of foreign ministers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States on the Iranian nuclear crisis.
The statement is non-binding, but US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said it "demonstrates that the international community is united in its concern over Iran’s nuclear program" which Washington says hides an attempt develop an atomic bomb.
In a concession to Russia and China, the text, drafted by Britain and France, requested a report in 30 days from the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on "Iranian compliance with the steps required by the IAEA board".
The co-sponsors initially sought a report in 14 days.
The text "underlines the particular importance of re-establishing full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, to be verified by the IAEA."
It stressed that "suspension" of enrichment and "full, verified Iranian compliance" with IAEA demands "would contribute to a diplomatic, negotiated solution that guarantees Iran’s nuclear program is for exclusively peaceful purposes."
Rice said in a statement that the UN move was "an important diplomatic step".
"The Security Council’s presidential statement sends an unmistakable message to Iran that its efforts to conceal its nuclear program and evade its international obligations are unacceptable.
"The international community expects Iran to comply with the IAEA’s call to suspend all enrichment-related activity and to return to negotiations."
"Iran has 30 days. We hope that Iran will comply," France’s UN envoy Jean-Marc de la Sabliere said. "If Iran doesn’t comply, then the Security Council will have to take its responsibilities."
"The ball is back in Iran’s court and we will be here in 30 days to see what they do," US ambassador John Bolton said.
The council’s five major powers, which spent three weeks haggling over the text, gave no indications of what steps might be taken if Tehran refuses to back down.
Western powers see adoption of the statement as the first step in a graduated response that could ultimately lead to sanctions against Tehran.
But Russia and China, which have close economic and energy ties with Tehran, oppose sanctions and insist on the IAEA retaining the lead role in the issue.
Bolton said the major powers raced to secure Council approval of the text so that the Berlin meeting on Thursday would not be burdened with negotiating the text.
"The ministers will be having a forward-looking discussion," he added.
The ministers, including Rice and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, were to consider future steps, including sanctions, if Tehran refuses to back down.
The text was considerably softened to overcome Russian and Chinese objections to any hint of punitive measures. Sponsors dropped a paragraph that would have highlighted the Security Council’s responsibility to maintain international peace and security.
Washington and its European allies believe Iran’s civilian nuclear program hides an effort to develop weapons. Tehran says its program is peaceful and aims to generate electricity.
After the text was adopted, Iran’s UN envoy Javad Zarif told reporters that he had been prevented from addressing the Council to make his case.
"We have been told this was a matter of procedure but I believe it was more than that," he added.
"Iran will have to consider the statement in Tehran and will respond accordingly," Zarif added.
"We have made it clear that Iran doesn’t want nuclear weapons," he said, but also warned: "We are allergic to pressure and intimidation and we do not respond well to that."
He emphasized that Tehran would not forfeit its right to uranium enrichment as a signatory of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty but remained committed to a negotiated solution.
Russia’s UN envoy Andrei Denisov said the IAEA must continue to play "a central role in verifying all the evidence on the purpose and nature of the Iranian nuclear program."
He stressed that there was no evidence that Tehran was intent on building nuclear weapons. "For the time being, we have had strong suspicions about intentions, but only suspicions."
His Chinese counterpart Wang Guangya said the statement "sends a strong message to support the authority of the IAEA and to support all diplomatic efforts that will lead to a diplomatic solution."
Germany, France and Britain pursued three years of inconclusive negotiations to coax Tehran away from its nuclear program in exchange for economic incentives.