Vienna - The five nuclear weapons states and Germany on
Tuesday offered Iran direct dialogue to solve the nuclear spat, while
also calling on leaders in Tehran to obey the demands of the United
Nations Security Council.
Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - the
permanent members on the Security Council - issued their statement
together with Germany to the 35-country board of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna.
France's IAEA governor Olivier Caron said in the statement that
'we remain firmly committed to a comprehensive diplomatic solution,
including through direct dialogue' - an indirect reference to plans
by the new US administration to sit down in bilateral talks with
Iran.
The statement came one day after US ambassador Gregory Schulte
outlined his country's intention to 'strengthen diplomatic efforts'
to solve the nuclear stand-off.
So far, Tehran has ignored three round of UN sanctions aimed at
getting Iran to stop its uranium-enrichment programme, and has not
taken up the six countries' offer of economic and political
cooperation in return for such a halt.
The six countries on Tuesday also noted that IAEA chief Mohamed
ElBaradei had expressed 'serious concern' regarding Iran's refusal to
answer questions on past research that could have been related to
nuclear weapons.
European Union members appeared to put more pressure on Iran in
their joint statement than the nuclear weapons states and Germany.
The EU said it was 'deeply disappointed' and spelled out the
questions Iran should answer, including Tehran's reason for acquiring
a sensitive document apparently related to making a nuclear warhead.
Iran has stated that its uranium enrichment facility in Natanz
produces fuel for a civilian nuclear reactor, and not for atomic
bombs. The country has dismissed indications that it had conducted
weapons-related research in the past.
USA
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