Six World Powers Discuss Iran Nuclear Dispute
26 February 2007
Officials from six world powers are meeting in London Monday to consider new ways of pressuring Iran to suspend its sensitive nuclear work.
The meeting includes representatives from the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany.
Iran ignored a Security Council deadline to suspend uranium enrichment by last week - February 21 - or face new sanctions, on top of those imposed in December.
Major Western powers suspect Iran is working to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.
A spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Iran Monday against under-estimating the unity of the international community against its nuclear activities.
But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow is "worried" by what he calls increasingly frequent mention of a military strike against Iran.
Lavrov was referring to recent statements by U.S. officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney, who warned last week that Washington will consider "all options" to resolve the Iranian nuclear dispute
The Bush administration has not ruled out military action against Iran, but says it prefers to use diplomacy. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice repeated an offer Sunday to hold talks with Iranian officials if Tehran stops uranium enrichment.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reiterated Sunday his refusal to suspend Iran's nuclear work. He said Iran's pursuit of nuclear fuel is like a train that has - in his words - "no brakes and no reverse gear."
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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