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India welcomes all initiatives toward reaching consensus on Iran nuclear issue

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, Jan 28, IRNA
India-Iran-Nuclear issue
"India welcomes all initiatives, including from Russia, which could lead to a consensus on Iran's nuclear issue and urges further intensive efforts in that direction."
Seeking to clear the air after the political storm stirred by US Ambassador David C Mulford's remarks on the Iran nuclear issue, India said it welcomed initiatives from Russia and others to forge a consensus and avoid a confrontation, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.

He said that during the past two weeks, India had been undertaking active consultations with all key members of the IAEA Board of Governors and with Iran in order to avoid confrontation and promote the widest possible consensus in dealing with the issue.

In all such consultations, India had argued that all concerned countries should avoid confrontation and work in the spirit of seeking a mutually acceptable solution, he said.

Sarna said Iran's right to develop "peaceful uses of nuclear energy for its development consistent with its international obligations and commitments should be respected."
The spokesman further said that "Iran's willingness to work with the IAEA to remove any outstanding issues about its nuclear program should be welcomed. In this regard, the agency should be allowed to proceed according to its work program and submit a detailed report." New Delhi's comments came a day after China, which opposes the use of "arbitrary" sanctions or any threat against Iran, asked all sides to step up diplomatic efforts to end the standoff.

The IAEA is to convene an emergency session of its board next week during which the United States and the European Union (EU) will likely push for a vote on referring the issue to the UN Security Council which could lead to sanctions against Iran.

The meeting is to be held upon the EU's request after Iran resumed uranium enrichment research following a two-and-half year halt.

Mulford had in controversial comments in an interview with PTI made it clear that if India did not vote against the Iran nuclear issue in the February 2 IAEA meeting the fallout on the Indo-US nuclear deal in the US Congress would be "devastating."
Raising objections to the remarks, Left parties and the BJP asked the government to make its stand clear on the issue.

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