| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"mike" |
| Date: |
22 Aug 2006 03:49:55 AM |
| Object: |
Deadline nears for Iran's response |
"Iran insists its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only"
"U.N. inspectors wanting to examine Iran's underground nuclear site were
turned away"
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/08/22/iran.inspectors/index.html
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran is expected to give its formal answer to a U.N.
demand that Tehran halt uranium enrichment in exchange for a package of
incentives or face a new threat of sanctions.
Foreshadowing Tehran's formal reply to the United Nations on Tuesday,
supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei on Monday said his country will continue
pursuing nuclear technology.
"And it will experience the sweet fruits of the move," Khamenei said,
according to Iran's state-run television, IRIB.
In recent days, Iranian officials have reiterated the country's refusal to
dismantle the program and warned against imposing economic sanctions.
"If the Europeans impose sanctions on Iran, they will damage all bridges
behind them," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters
Monday, according to Iran's state-run news agency, IRNA.
On Sunday, Iranian forces test-fired Iranian-made Saeqeh (Thunderbolt)
missiles and surface-to-water missiles in southwestern Khuzestan Province,
which adjoins Iraq.
It was part of the latest in a series of war games launched across the
country, set to last five weeks and to showcase what Iran calls its new
defensive military doctrine.
In another development, U.N. inspectors wanting to examine Iran's
underground nuclear site were turned away in an apparent violation of the
Nonproliferation Treaty, The Associated Press quoted diplomats and U.N.
officials as saying.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AP that Iran's
unprecedented refusal to allow access to the Natanz facility could seriously
hamper global efforts to ensure that Tehran is not trying to make nuclear
weapons.
The revelation came on the eve of Iran's self-imposed August 22 deadline to
respond to a Western incentives package for it to roll back its disputed
nuclear program.
'Pressuring Iran'
The U.N. Security Council voted on July 31 to give Iran until the end of
August to freeze its uranium enrichment program or possibly face economic
sanctions.
Iran said it will respond Tuesday.
The United States also signaled that it will not budge from its support of
immediate economic sanctions if Iran fails to comply with the Security
Council.
Washington has "made clear that if Iran fails to comply with the Security
Council's mandate, we will move quickly at the United Nations to impose
sanctions," according to a White House statement issued Monday.
Without mentioning sanctions, U.S. President George W. Bush called on the
international community through the U.N. Security Council "to work in
concert for effective diplomacy."
"Iran is obviously part of the problem -- they sponsor Hezbollah, they
encourage a radical brand of Islam," Bush said Monday at a news conference.
"Imagine how difficult this issue would be if Iran had a nuclear weapon?"
Bush said the United States will wait to see what Iran's response will be to
U.N. Resolution 1696.
"We're beginning to get some indication, but we'll wait until they have a
formal response."
While the United States supports sanctions, other permanent members of the
Security Council -- who hold veto power -- are not fully on board.
Russia and China have voiced opposition to such action. Iran insists its
nuclear program is for civilian purposes only, and rejects U.N. demands to
halt the program before returning to talks on its nuclear program.
Talks with European negotiators stalled earlier this year when Iran ended
its voluntary cooperation with the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency, halting
snap inspections of its nuclear facilities and beginning small-scale uranium
enrichment.
Copyright 2006 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this
report.
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