• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

UN Nuclear Watchdog To Report Iran To Security Council

The UN's nuclear watchdog has voted to report Iran to the UN Security Council over concerns about its nuclear program. Today's vote at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna paves the way for possible UN political and economic sanctions on Tehran. In response, Iran said it would immediately halt UN inspections of its nuclear facilities.

PRAGUE, 4 February 2006 (RFE/RL) -- The standoff between Iran and the international community over Iran's nuclear program has gone on for several years now.

Finally, today, it has resulted in a vote by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to vote to refer Iran to the UN Security Council.

Most of the IAEA's 35 board members voted.

"This sends a further strong message to the Islamic Republic of Iran," Britain's ambassador to the IAEA. Peter Jenkins, said. "It's a message of concern at developments in Iran since early January, and of a continuing lack of confidence in Iran's nuclear intentions."

Today's vote puts the standoff over Iran's nuclear program into new, and uncharted, territory.

The West has long feared that Tehran is seeking to build nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear-power program.

Iran says it wants power, not bombs, but concerns over its intentions were heightened after Tehran said in January that it would resume some sensitive nuclear activities.

The IAEA's resolution paves the way for the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Iran.

But it also postpones any UN action by at least a month, as a result of a compromise demanded by Russia and China, who had previously been reluctant to refer Iran to the UN.

Even so, Iran's response was sharp.

It said it would start enriching uranium fuel that can be used in bombs -- and that it would suspend UN inspections of its nuclear facilities.

Despite the resolution and Iran's response, Western officials say Tehran can still avoid punitive measures from the UN Security Council.

With any action put off until March, they say there is still time for diplomacy.

Britain has urged Iran to take advantage of that breathing space. Britain's Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, called on Iran to resume full suspension of enrichment-related activities and to address other
outstanding concerns.

Otherwise, he said, Security Council action is "almost inevitable."

(with agency reports)

Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org