English
UN nuclear watchdog back in Iran
The deputy head of the UN nuclear agency has arrived in Tehran for talks on Iran’s disputed nuclear programme. Six world powers agreed to consider further sanctions against Iran during discussions on Wednesday. This week Iran missed a deadline to reply to an offer of incentives to end its uranium enrichment programme, which could be used in arms manufacture. France, the US and UK are pushing for new sanctions, but Russia says there is potential for more dialogue. Correspondents say it is not clear that the visit of Oli Heinonen, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s deputy head, is directly related to the incentives offer.
The IAEA monitors Iran’s existing nuclear activities, and is trying to find out if it is turning peaceful energy-producing technology to military use.Three sets of UN sanctions have already been imposed on Iran after it defied successive Security Council ultimatums to freeze uranium enrichment. The fact Iran is enriching uranium has led Western powers to fear it is seeking to develop an atomic bomb. Tehran insists continuing the process is within its rights as an IAEA member and denies there is any intention beyond peaceful energy production. ‘Clear response’ The threat of new sanctions came after a telephone conference on Wednesday between the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - China, France, Russia, the UK and US - and Germany. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana had given Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator until last Saturday to respond to an offer of no further economic sanctions in return for an Iranian freeze on uranium enrichment. On Tuesday, Iran delivered a one-page letter to Mr Solana’s office, saying it was ready to provide a clear response “at the earliest possibility”, but at the same time seeking a clear response to questions it has asked. “Such mutual clarification can pave the way for a speedy and transparent negotiating process with bright prospect,” the letter said. The US administration said the letter appeared to be a stalling tactic. “We are very disappointed that Iran has failed yet again to give… a clear answer,” said US state department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos. |
|||
Source: BBC
More Top News
Hollywood heavyweights Robert De Niro and Al Pacino reunited on the red carpet in New York Wednesday night for the premiere of their new crime thriller “Righteous Kill” — their first film together since making 1995’s “Heat.”
The movie also stars
The Pakistani Army has been given orders to retaliate against any unilateral strike by the Afghanistan-based US troops inside the country.
Army Spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas confirmed the orders in a brief interview with Geo News on late Thursday night.
The
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says he will not accept military action or new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear activities.
“We should not take any unilateral steps. It is not acceptable to opt for a military scenario. It would be dangerous,”
As the world marks the seventh anniversary of 9/11, some European experts say security improvements in the US have been undercut by fairly basic mistakes. Among the remedies is more trust in America’s laws and allies.
Seven years after the attacks
David Miliband has allegedly come in for a rather undiplomatic tongue-lashing from his Russian counterpart.
The Foreign Secretary was apparently given a furious dressing down by Sergei Lavrov over the telephone.
Mr Miliband’s criticism of Russia’s recent incursion into Georgia is believed
PIETERMARITZBURG, South Africa - A South African judge ruled Friday that prosecutors were wrong to charge ANC President Jacob Zuma with corruption, effectively clearing way for the 66-year-old former freedom fighter to become the country’s next president.
Judge Chris Nicholson’s ruling
Thailand’s political turmoil deepened Friday when the ruling coalition failed to turn up to parliament to reelect leader Samak Sundaravej as prime minister.
Lawmakers from the six-party coalition did not attend an emergency session of parliament called to choose a prime minister, three days after a court stripped Samak of power for accepting payments for hosting
Feeds