Britain urges Iran to 'engage seriously' in nuclear talks

Britain today called on Iran to “engage seriously and constructively” with international concerns over its nuclear ambitions in talks scheduled for the coming days.

Speaking at a regional security summit attended by Iran in Bahrain, Defence Secretary Liam Fox said that Britain wanted a diplomatic, rather than military, resolution to tensions over Tehran’s suspected nuclear weapons programme.

But he warned that Britain “will not look away or back down” in the long-standing row, which has seen the United Nations impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Iran has said it will attend talks on its nuclear programme starting on Monday in the Swiss city of Geneva with representatives of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (P5 countries) – Britain, the US, Russia, China and France – as well as Germany.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday said that the success or failure of the talks is “largely in the hands of the Iranians”, adding that she hopes Iran will come “as we will – in good faith and prepared to engage constructively”.

But Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki today made clear that Tehran will not halt its nuclear enrichment activities, which it insists are for peaceful civil purposes.

Mr Mottaki told the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain that Western powers were “trying to stop our independence to establish a much-needed power plant”, adding: “It is our right to create fuel and to deprive us of that right is scientific apartheid.”

Dr Fox warned the conference that Tehran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons capability would “destroy hopes for peace in the Middle East” and may end the global counter-proliferation framework.

The Defence Secretary insisted that the West’s quarrel was not with the people of Iran but with the regime of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

“Iran has a rightful place among the proud nations of this region, and indeed as a responsible member of the international community,” said Dr Fox.

“But that role must be as a partner, not a problem. The international community’s dispute is not with the people of Iran but with a government that seems intent on following a course which is in breach of international law.”

Dr Fox said that the P5 countries and Germany “stand united in wanting a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue”.

He added: “The talks next week need to make a serious start towards resolving the concerns of the international community about Iran’s nuclear programme.

“Iran needs to engage seriously and constructively to address these concerns.”

Dr Fox told the conference, hosted by London-based think-tank the International Institute for Strategic Studies, that the UK will “continue to talk and keep up the peaceful pressure with targeted sanctions”.

“We are serious about reaching an agreement that recognises Iran’s legitimate civil nuclear interests,” he said.

“An Iranian nuclear weapons capability will not be tolerated by the international community. It could destroy hopes for peace in the Middle East, for international stability and could very well mean the end of (the) Non-Proliferation Treaty as we know it.

“A nuclear arms race in the region would diminish Iranian security, not protect it.

“We want a negotiated solution, not a military one – but Iran needs to work with us to achieve that outcome. We will not look away or back down.”

The Geneva talks come in the wake of the publication of documents obtained by whistleblowing website WikiLeaks suggesting that Gulf states including Saudi Arabia privately urged the US to launch military strikes against Iranian nuclear plants.

Mr Mottaki assured representatives of Gulf states at the Bahrain gathering that Iran did not pose a threat to them.

“Our power in the region is your power and your power in the region is our power,” he said. “Our growth will only pave the way for others to grow.”

In an apparent reference to the WikiLeaks disclosures, he added: “We must not allow Western media to tell us what we think of one another.

“We have never used our potential to become powerful against any neighbours specially because our neighbours are Muslims.”