The UN Security Council will wait to take action on possible Iranian
sanctions until a scheduled meeting next week between EU foreign policy chief
Javier Solana and Tehran's main negotiator Ali Larijani, the US ambassador to
the UN said yesterday.
"We intend to let this meeting between Solana and Larijani take place next
week, and then we will be consulting here and in capitals about where to go from
there," John Bolton told reporters after a council vote on a resolution on
Sudan's Darfur.
He made the remarks shortly after the Security Council received a report from
Director-General Mohammed ElBaradei of the International Atomic Energy Agency on
Iran's compliance with council resolution 1696 that requires it suspends nuclear
enrichment by August 31.
The UN nuclear watchdog reported that Iran has continued enriching uranium
despite a UN nuclear deadline for it to suspend or face possible sanctions.
The report "provides ample evidence of (Iranian) defiance," said Bolton,
adding that the council must begin drawing up sanctions.
"There's simply no explanation for the range of Iranian behavior which we've
seen over the years other than that they're pursuing a weapons capability," he
said.
