International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Mohamed El
Baradei on Monday called Iran to cooperate with the international community to
solve its disputed nuclear issue peacefully.
"I would continue to urge Iran to provide the cooperation needed to resolve
these issues," ElBaradei told a meeting of the board of governors of the UN
nuclear watchdog which opened here on Monday.
"I remain convinced that the way forward lies through dialogue and mutual
accommodation," he added.
In the most recent efforts, the United States and some European countries are
lobbying other nations to join them in urging Iran to begin talks on the nuclear
issue.
"We are... encouraging all board members to make firm statements to call on
Iran" to negotiate on the six-nation proposal, according to a document outlining
the U.S. position.
Last week, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana presented a
package of incentives, agreed by five UN Security Council permanent members --
Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- and Germany, in exchange
for Iran's suspension of uranium enrichment.
The U.S. document said the five permanent Security Council members and
Germany "have agreed to pursue measures, including at the UN Security Council,
(to) pressure the Iranian regime to change course" in the event that Tehran
declines the offer.
The full suspension of enrichment-related and reprocessing activities was
"essential if Iran is to succeed in building international confidence." the
document said.
Another document, issued by Britain, France and Germany, also warned that
"the Security Council will have no choice but to increase the pressure on Iran"
if Tehran remained defiant.
"The most important step for building international confidence will be for
Iran to refrain from all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities until
international confidence is restored," it said.
Iran said on Monday ahead of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
meeting that it would not compromise on its right to enrich uranium.
"Iran's view on the nuclear fuel cycle has been announced... we have obtained
this technology, it is our obvious right and we do not negotiate over our
obvious nuclear rights," Iranian government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham said
in Tehran.
Iran's envoy to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, had earlier urged the body to
avoid "politically motivated statements that could spoil the environment" for a
diplomatic solution.
During the week-long meeting, the UN nuclear watchdog is to debate Iran but
pass no resolutions in an attempt to avoid any diplomatic upset while Iran is
considering the proposal to resolve the nuclear dispute, diplomats said.