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Iran: sanctions would cripple chance of peaceful solution to nuke issue
19/10/2006 10:11

Iran warned yesterday that any possible UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program would cripple the chance of a peaceful solution to the issue, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said although continuing talks with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is still possible, "any new (UN Security Council) resolution would diminish the chance of an agreement."

UN Security Council sanctions "would be considered as a threat to Iran's security and will change our attitude," the Iranian official told Mehr.

Meanwhile, Larijani reiterated Iran's warning that Tehran would limit the inspections by the UN atomic watchdog to its nuclear sites if it is imposed sanctions over its nuclear disputes.

He referred to a bill that has been adopted by Iran's parliamentary national security commission that calls for suspension of UN inspections if sanctions were imposed.

The Iranian parliament would "defend the natural interests" of the country, Larijani added.

In addition, Alaeddin Borujerdi, head of the parliament's national security commission, also voiced his warning that Iran would suspend its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Borujerdi said that if the current situation was to be continued and directed towards sanctions, Iran would no longer consider the continuance of cooperation with the IAEA, the Iranian Student's News Agency (ISNA) reported.

"Iran ... as a country which is after peaceful application of nuclear energy and firmly against all nuclear weapons ... can not be compared to those countries that have no commitment to international regulations," ISNA quoted Borujerdi as saying.

The Iranian officials made the warnings one day after EU foreign ministers adopted a statement saying that Iran's continuation of enrichment related activities has left the EU no choice but to support consultations on sanctions.

On Tuesday, Solana said after an EU foreign ministers' meeting mulling the Iranian nuclear issue, "for the time being, the formal talks (between the EU and Iran) can not achieve anything," though he underlined that the door remained open for talks on the Iranian nuclear issue.

The EU foreign ministers said in a statement that the proposals presented by Solana on June 6 as a basis for a long-term agreement are "far-reaching" and would "give Iran everything it needs to develop a modern civil nuclear power industry while addressing international concerns."

Meanwhile, the ministers also expressed deep concern that Iran has not yet suspended its enrichment-related and reprocessing activities.

They reiterated that if Iran did not comply with the Security Council's requirements, the EU would "work for the adoption of measures under Article 41 of the UN Charter," which stipulates economic and diplomatic sanctions.



Xinhua News