Europe Scorns Iran's Nuclear 'Deal' with Russia

Daniel Dombey, The Financial Times:

France, Germany and Britain on Monday sought to increase international pressure on Iran, dismissing Tehran’s announcement that it had reached a “basic agreement” with Russia over its controversial nuclear programme.

The move came as Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, put the finishing touches to a report on Iran’s nuclear programme that will be sent to the United Nations Security Council.

At a European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, both Philippe Douste-Blazy, the French foreign minister, and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, his German counterpart, said any Russian-Iranian agreement was merely technical and failed to meet international concerns over Tehran’s nuclear plans.

“Iran is now at a crossroads,” said Mr Douste-Blazy. “The international community has to respond in a firm, united and rapid manner to [Tehran’s] policy of fait accompli. We can discuss technology and commercial issues with Iran, but it has to cease sensitive nuclear activities first.”

“It looks like decisive progress has not been made,” said Mr Steinmeier. “The Iranian position is an attempt to split the international community. It will not succeed.” READ MORE

On Sunday, Iran said it had reached an agreement with Sergei Kiriyenko, the visiting head of Russia’s atomic energy agency, on setting up a joint venture to enrich uranium – the process that can produce weapons-grade material.

But although the joint company would be based in Russia, Tehran on Monday clarified that it would only agree to such a step if it could continue research into enrichment in Iran itself.

Iran announced last month that it was resuming such research, an action that led the board of the IAEA, the United Nation’s nuclear watchdog, to report it to the Security Council.

While Tehran insists its purposes are purely peaceful, western diplomats say that six to seven months of research would give it the know-how to begin production of material for a nuclear weapon. The IAEA board will meet to discuss the issue next week, after which the file will go to the security council in New York. Western diplomats say the first step there will be a declaration by Argentina, which will hold the council presidency in March, calling on Iran to abide by past IAEA resolutions.

The EU hopes that by increasing the pressure step by step it can convince Iran to repeat its “tactical” decision to suspend uranium enrichment while a longer-term settlement is negotiated.

They argue their case is strengthened by unity among the five permanent members of the security council – including Russia and China, which both have strong energy relationships with Iran – and that Moscow is unhappy with its inconclusive talks with Tehran.

But the Europeans also acknowledge economic sanctions on Iran are unlikely at a time of high oil prices, and people close to Mr ElBaradei say Europe should have offered Iran more technical co-operation and security guarantees.