Iran rejects UN call to freeze nuclear programme

IRAN defiantly rejected a United Nations call yesterday to reimpose a freeze on uranium enrichment.

Late on Wednesday the UN Security Council asked the nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, to report back in 30 days on Iran’s compliance with demands to stop enriching uranium.

In Vienna, Iran’s chief representative to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, said that “it is impossible to go back to suspension... This enrichment matter is not reversible”.

However, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said a Berlin meeting of the Security Council’s five permanent members plus Germany had sent “a very strong signal to Iran that the international community is united”. She hinted at escalating Security Council action should Iran disregard the council’s demand that it freeze enrichment, although remarks from Russian and Chinese representatives suggested strains in the alliance facing down Tehran.

British Foreign Minister Jack Straw said: “The onus is on Iran to show the international community that its programme is entirely for civil purposes and for no other. We have shown very great patience with Iran. They in turn have miscalculated.”

Wednesday’s modest statement did not go as far as the United States had wanted. It is not legally binding and carries no explicit penalties if Iran does not comply.