AFP: European lawmakers Thursday urged Iran to stop making “confusing and contradictory” statements about its nuclear programme and reaffirm its commitment to suspend uranium enrichment. The motion was approved at the European Parliament as Iranian and officials from three key EU countries were deadlocked in talks pressing Tehran to give up uranium enrichment, a fuel process that can also be used in making
nuclear bombs. AFP
STRASBOURG – European lawmakers Thursday urged Iran to stop making “confusing and contradictory” statements about its nuclear programme and reaffirm its commitment to suspend uranium enrichment.
The motion was approved at the European Parliament as Iranian and officials from three key EU countries were deadlocked in talks pressing Tehran to give up uranium enrichment, a fuel process that can also be used in making nuclear bombs.
The motion “calls on the Iranian authorities to stop making confusing and contradictory statements” on its intentions in the talks in Geneva and reaffirm its commitment to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NTP).
The lawmakers underlined their support for the stance taken by EU negotiators Britain, France and Germany and urged the United States “to fully support” the EU diplomacy.
Citing a November agreement under which Iran suspended enrichment in return for talks on trade and security benefits, the text also called on Iran “to reaffirm its commitment to the NPT and to make permanent its decision to suspend uranium enrichment.”
Washington claims Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons covertly, and wants to bring Tehran — which insists its nuclear programme is peaceful — before the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.
The European countries want Iran to abandon enrichment as an “objective guarantee” that it is not developing nuclear weapons and are offering trade, security and technology rewards.
