Iran to Weigh Suspending Enrichment

Iran is ready to consider complying, at least temporarily, with a U.N. Security Council demand that it freeze uranium enrichment, which can be used to develop atomic weapons, diplomats said Sunday.

Such a concession would be a major departure by Tehran, which faces possible United Nations sanctions for its refusal to halt enrichment efforts, and would be a huge step toward defusing a confrontation in the Security Council. Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, mentioned the possible compromise during two-day talks that ended Sunday with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, the diplomats said.

The diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were sharing confidential information, were familiar with the substance of the discussions.

One of them said Larijani floated the possibility of Iran stopping its enrichment activities “voluntarily, for one or two months, if presented ... in such a way that it does it without pressure.” The diplomats did not say when such a move might occur.

Iran says its nuclear program is intended solely to produce electricity. But many Western governments fear that Tehran seeks to enrich uranium for use in atomic warheads.

The compromise would probably be welcomed by Russia, China and France, veto-wielding members of the Security Council that have been reluctant to support a quick move to sanctions.

But it might fall short of U.S. and British demands that Iran end enrichment efforts before broader negotiations on its nuclear program.

A European official said Solana discussed the issue with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice before going into the weekend meetings, but declined to offer details.

The five permanent Security Council members and Germany will meet this week to try to salvage a package of incentives offered to Iran to halt the program.