Atomic Agency Presses Iran Over
Nuclear Deadlock
The
head of the UN atomic agency, IAEA,
Mr. Mohammed ElBarade, has urged Iran to accept a deal over its
nuclear programme by the end of the year, and "move beyond
sanctions."
Mr. ElBaradei said the ball was "very much in the Iranian
court."
He was speaking as the six major powers negotiating with
Tehran were holding talks in
Brussels.
They are discussing their response to Iran's rejection of a key
part of a deal that would allow it to continue to develop a
nuclear reactor.
Friday's meeting involves the UN Security Council's permanent
members - Britain, China,
France, Russia and the United
States - plus Germany.
The West fears Iran is trying to develop a
nuclear weapons capacity. Iran
insists its nuclear programme is for entirely peaceful purposes.
Mr ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency,
said "It is a unique opportunity to move from sanctions and
confrontation to the process of building... trusts."
'Clear message'
On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said
his country had misgivings about the deal brokered by the IAEA.
It envisages Iran sending about 70% of its low-enriched uranium
to Russia and France, where it
would be processed into fuel rods
for a research reactor in
Tehran.
The UN Security Council has
called on Iran to stop uranium enrichment and has approved three
rounds of sanctions so far, covering trade in
nuclear material, as well as
financial and travel restrictions.
REUTERS/Yinka
