IRAN:The United States said yesterday that Iran had left the United Nations Security Council no choice but to increase sanctions on the Islamic republic for ignoring demands that it halt sensitive nuclear activities.
The US declaration came a day after an informal deadline lapsed for Iran to respond to an offer from the US, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia for talks on its disputed nuclear programme. "It is clear that the government of Iran has not complied with the international community's demand to stop enriching uranium and isn't even interested in trying," said Richard Grenell, spokesman for the US mission to the UN.
"They leave the Security Council no choice but to increase the sanctions, as called for in the last resolution passed."
Tehran has not formally responded to the offer. But Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday that Tehran would not back down in its nuclear dispute with the powers, which have supported three rounds of Security Council sanctions.
"In whichever negotiation we take part . . . it is unequivocally with the view to the realisation of Iran's nuclear right and the Iranian nation would not retreat one iota from its rights," he said.
The West accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons under cover of a civilian power programme. Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil producer, says its uranium enrichment drive is aimed solely at generating electricity.
A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said in Brussels that he and Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili would discuss the six powers' offer soon.Western officials gave Tehran two weeks from July 19th to respond to their offer not to impose more UN sanctions on Iran if it froze any expansion of its nuclear work. That suggested a deadline of August 2nd, but Iran dismissed the idea of having two weeks to reply.
The US delegation at the UN might have to put some pressure on the rest of the council to discuss Iran again. One of the main reasons for council members' reluctance to take up Iran now is the upcoming US presidential election in November and what it could mean for US policy on Iran.
US presidential candidate Barack Obama, a Democrat, has been highly critical of Republican president George W Bush's handling of the Iran issue and has promised that, if elected, he would pursue a policy of greater engagement with Tehran. Republican candidate John McCain has criticised Obama's suggestion that he would pursue direct talks with Tehran.
Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, who met Mr Ahmadinejad yesterday, said Syria could play a role to help defuse the row.
- (Reuters)