We remain deeply concerned by Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran has not met the requirements set out in successive Resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors, the statement by the President of the UN Security Council on 30 March 2006, and in Security Council Resolution 1696 of 31 July 2006. These include the requirement that Iran should co-operate fully with the IAEA and should fully suspend all uranium enrichment related and reprocessing activities. We are determined that Iran should comply fully with its obligations. E3+3 Foreign Ministers met in London on 6 October 2006 and agreed that Iran's failure to address IAEA Board and Security Council resolution, and take the steps that would enable a return to negotiations, leaves no option but to seek a new Security Council resolution adopting measures under Article 41 of the UN Charter. We are now discussing a draft with other members of the Security Council.
We are deeply concerned by Iran’s nuclear programme. We remain committed to a negotiated solution, and regret that Iran has not taken the steps that would enable negotiations to begin on the basis of the proposals presented in June by Javier Solana on behalf of the E3+3 (UK, France, Germany + US, Russia, China). These proposals would form the basis of a long-term agreement: they offer Iran everything it needs to develop a modern civil nuclear power industry as well as political and economic benefits while meeting international concerns.
We are determined that Iran should comply fully with its obligations. E3+3 Foreign Ministers met in London on 6 October 2006 and agreed that Iran’s failure to take the steps required by International Atomic Energy Agency Board and Security Council resolutions leaves no option but to seek a new Security Council resolution adopting measures under Article 41 of the UN Charter. We are now discussing a draft with other members of the Security Council.
The E3+3’s proposals remain on the table and we continue to urge Iran to take the positive path.
The proliferation of nuclear weapons in the Middle East would pose a serious threat to the region’s stability and security.
The most recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General, Dr Mohammed El-Baradei, makes clear that Iran is not co-operating fully with the IAEA, and has not taken the steps required by the IAEA Board of Governors and the United Nations Security Council. These are essential to build confidence that the intentions of Iran’s nuclear programme are exclusively peaceful. In particular, Iran has not met the requirement to suspend all uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, and indeed in October began operating a second 164- centrifuge cascade.
We continue to urge Iran to comply fully with IAEA Board and UN Security Council resolutions and to take the steps that would enable negotiations to begin on the basis of the proposals presented in June by Javier Solana on behalf of the E3+3 (UK, France, Germany + US, Russia, China). Iran should be in no doubt that if it does not meet its obligations, the Security Council will respond. In the light of Iran’s failure to take the steps required in resolution 1696 of 31 July 2006, we are presently discussing a new draft Security Council resolution that would impose measures under Article 41 of the UN Charter.