EU-3 seeks to take Iran before UN on nuclear issue

Daniel Dombey in Brussels and Najmeh Bozorgmehrin Tehran, The Financial Times:

Britain, France and Germany are seeking international support to refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council for a reprimand, the first step before possible sanctions, after months of failed negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear programme.

European diplomats say the countries are determined to take the issue to the UN in New York, despite the risk of veto, unless Iran stops all activities related to the enrichment of uranium. READ MORE

Top officials from the “EU-3” countries met in Paris on Wednesday and were expected to brief the US and Russia later. Jack Straw, UK foreign secretary, has also put the issue at the top of a European Union foreign ministers’ meeting in Wales on Thursday.

In a letter to his EU counterparts, Mr Straw alludes to the need to build up an international coalition ahead of the September 19 board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN’s nuclear monitor.

“We should take stock on Iran and discuss how we might best pursue the nuclear file over the coming weeks,” he says.

“This might also be an opportunity to discuss what Iran’s new government and its breaking of the Paris agreement means for EU-Iran relations over the coming months.”

While a majority on the 35-member IAEA board is enough to refer a matter to the UN, previous referrals have been made by consensus because of the risk they would be vetoed in New York.

Despite indications that they will not win the support of Russia and China – two countries with UN vetoes – the UK and its allies appear determined to push ahead. They also reject Iranian suggestions of new proposals or different negotiating partners as an alternative to the EU.

The new, tougher European line has been welcomed by the US, which praised France’s President Jacques Chirac this week for “echoing in public what the EU-3 has told Iran in private”.

The EU-Iran talks, which began with an agreement in Paris last year, broke down after Tehran denounced an EU offer as inadequate and resumed production of uranium hexafluoride, a nuclear feedstock, at a plant in Isfahan.

While the EU and the US suspect Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, Tehran insists its programme is entirely peaceful.

Much will depend on an IAEA report on Iran’s nuclear programme, which is expected by September 3 and will set the scene for the debate over UN referral.

Iran is hoping the report will clear it of some of the allegations made about its programme.

“The report weakens the EU position [in the next governing board meeting] and strengthens Iran’s position in arguing that a referral to the Security Council does not have a legal basis,” said a senior Iranian official.