Agency Calls On Iran to Halt Nuclear Work

The United Nations’ nuclear agency urged Iran on Thursday to reinstate its suspension of nuclear fuel processing and ordered a comprehensive report on Tehran’s adherence to key aspects of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

The action, adopted unanimously by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation board of governors, was a victory for three European Union nations trying to persuade Iran to give up its effort to master uranium enrichment technology.

Iran insists that it needs enriched uranium to develop its own peaceful nuclear energy program. However, several nations, including the United States, argue that Iran, as one of the world’s leading oil producers, has little immediate need for atomic energy, and they suspect Tehran wants to develop nuclear weapons.

The agency resolution, which expresses “serious concern” over Tehran’s decision to resume uranium conversion at a plant in Esfahan, also calls on IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei to present a major report to the board by Sept. 3 that will include findings of agency inspections conducted at all of Iran’s known nuclear sites.

An agency diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the issue’s sensitivity, said the report could be used to build a case against Iran if the board decided to seek punitive measures from the United Nations Security Council. The U.S. has consistently advocated such action, although many countries are opposed to it.

“If they are going to build a case for the Security Council, it can’t just be based on [Iran’s] breaking a voluntary agreement” to suspend enrichment efforts, the diplomat said. “It would have to be on a collection of sins. This would be the reference document.”

The three European countries -- Britain, France and Germany -- expressed hope that Iran would respond positively.

“We still believe there is a nonconfrontational way forward if Iran wants to take it,” the British Foreign Office said in a statement.

The United States, which decided to support the European diplomatic initiative this year after initially maintaining its distance, welcomed the IAEA’s action. Speaking to reporters at his ranch near Crawford, Texas, President Bush called the move a sign that “the world is coalescing around the notion that the Iranians should not have the means and the wherewithal to be able to develop a nuclear weapon.”

In Washington, the State Department urged a tough approach.

“If Iran doesn’t take the steps described in the resolution, we would expect that the next step would be referral to the Security Council,” spokesman Adam Ereli told a department briefing.

Iran’s IAEA ambassador, Sirous Nasseri, denounced the board’s action as a denial of his country’s right to peaceful nuclear energy as guaranteed under the 1970 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

“It signals the beginning of the road to an unwanted and undue confrontation through which ... all parties stand to lose,” Nasseri said.

He also accused the agency of applying a double standard that allows major powers, including the United States, to possess weapons-grade nuclear material while depriving developing nations even limited quantities.

“The point is, how can a small amount of feed material for enrichment to produce nuclear fuel [in Iran] be a matter of concern whereas a number of these states ... are sitting on many tons of separated plutonium which can be directly diverted to nuclear weapons at any time of their choosing?” Nasseri said.

Despite his sharp tone, Nasseri also indicated that Iran was prepared to negotiate further.

Thursday’s action by the IAEA followed days of diplomatic maneuvering touched off by Tehran’s announcement this month that it would end its voluntary suspension of work at the Esfahan processing facility. It also rejected as “an insult” a long-awaited European offer of guaranteed nuclear fuel supplies, plus a package of other economic incentives, if Iran gave up its nuclear quest.

Seals placed by the U.N. agency at the Esfahan plant were broken by Iranian authorities Wednesday, and a senior official at the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization declared the plant fully operational the same day.

Iran sought to cast any IAEA action against it as a threat to all developing countries’ access to nuclear energy. But nonaligned countries represented on the board, such as Brazil, appeared to reject that argument.

Three years ago, Iranian dissidents blew the whistle on a secret, 18-year effort by Tehran to enrich uranium, in violation of the nuclear treaty. Iran subsequently accepted the required international safeguards on its known nuclear facilities, a step it claims gives it the right to proceed with the fuel processing.

In November, Tehran agreed to freeze its nuclear development program while it negotiated with the Europeans. But Iran’s brusque rejection of the European offer and decision to restart its conversion facility seemed to signal an end to the diplomacy.

However, Iran’s newly elected president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, indicated this week that Iran was preparing to present a set of counterproposals to the Europeans.

A meeting between Iranian and European officials is scheduled for late this month.

Times special correspondent Penz reported from Vienna and staff writer Marshall from Washington. Staff writer Edwin Chen in Crawford contributed to this report.