London meeting considers tougher Iran sanctions

Representatives of the world’s major powers will meet in London today to discuss the possible tightening of sanctions on Iran if it does not halt its nuclear programme.

The meeting brings together officials from the so-called E3 group of European nations, Britain, France and Germany, with the US, Russia and China in the latest of a sequence of exchanges reflecting growing international concern over Iran’s apparent ambitions to develop a military nuclear capability.

A senior US official last night said he hoped the meeting would pave the way for a new United Nations Security Council resolution if the Islamic Republic did not suspend nuclear enrichment within two weeks.

Iran has rejected two previous resolutions, insisting its nuclear programme is for civil power only.

Pressure from Britain, the US and France for tougher sanctions on Tehran have so far been blocked by the other two permanent members of the Security Council, Russia and China, which are able to prevent UN action by wielding their veto.

The Western powers agreed in September to delay asking for tighter sanctions, after Iran announced it would talk to global nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency. The latest round of talks ended yesterday in Tehran, with Iranian officials claiming satisfaction on both sides.

Today’s E3 plus 3 meeting, at an undisclosed location in London, is expected to see the US and UK pushing for agreement on the elements for a third UN resolution.

Speaking last night ahead of the talks, US under-secretary of state for political affairs Nicholas Burns said Iran had been given a two-month period of grace following the last Security Council resolution on March 24, but had pressed ahead with uranium enrichment.

“Russia and China have been effectively blocking a third resolution since then,” said Mr Burns.

Outlining US hopes for today’s talks, he added: “We have decided we would put together the elements of the third resolution and ministers can decide the timing.

“We do hope Russia and China will come with a serious demeanour and with the basic attitude that progress has to be made. It’s time for Russia and China to re-engage ... The credibility of the Council is on the line here.”

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “As the Prime Minister has already said, the UK supports a further UN Security Council resolution if Iran does not comply with its international obligations.

“The E3 plus 3 statement on September 28 set a clear deadline for Iran to meet. At Friday’s meeting we will want to hear from colleagues how they see the process going forward.”

IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei is due to deliver a progress report on Iran’s nuclear activities to the UN in mid-November.

In September, Mr ElBaradei praised Iran’s co-operation so far, but urged Tehran to answer all questions – including those on reported experiments that link enrichment and missile technology – before the end of the year.

Iranian officials said yesterday they had completed four days of talks with IAEA envoys in which “necessary information and answers” were handed over to address doubts about Tehran’s development of centrifuge enrichment machines.

Iranian negotiator Javad Vaeedi was quoted by state media as saying both sides voiced “satisfaction about the trend of the talks”.