In follow-up to IAEA decision, Tehran puts stop to beefed-up controls of its nuclear programme

Brussels, 06/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Saturday morning, following the most recent negotiations between the five permanent members of the Security Council, which ended with the insertion into the resolution presented by the EU-3 (Germany, France and United Kingdom), at the request of on “non-aligned countries”, the mention of a weapons of mass destruction and nuclear free-Middle East (direct allusion to Israel), the Council of Governors of the International Agency on Atomic Energy (IAEA) decided by 27 votes in favour, 3 against with 5 abstentions, to transfer “for information” the Iranian nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council. The adopted resolution informs the UN Security Council of the “measures Iran was requested to make”, particularly those to “re-establish a full and lasting suspension of all activities linked to the enrichment and reprocessing of uranium” and calls on Iran to improve its cooperation with the IAEA. Mohamed El Baradei, the director of the IAEA, will re-submit a report on 6 March to the Security Council on the Iranian nuclear programme and Tehran's cooperation with the IAEA. If, at this date, Iran does not fulfil its obligations, the Security Council can plan on “exerting new pressure” on Tehran to strengthen the IAEA's authority. The action of the Security Council will be “gradual and reversible” if Iran fulfils its obligations. Shortly after the decision in Vienna, Russia reiterated its proposal for the partial relocation of Iran's uranium enrichment activities outside the country. Speaking on behalf of the EU-3, the Head of German diplomacy, Franz-Walter Steinhmeier pointed out that “this proposal may be key in obtaining a negotiated solution” and exported Iran not to “disappoint the international community”. Russian and Iranian diplomats are expected to meet mid-February to discuss matters but President Ahmadinejad has, nevertheless, ordered any voluntary cooperation with the IAEA to cease, as well as the additional protocol to the NPT (which allows for IAEA inspectors to carry out random inspections on Iranian soil).