There is simply no peaceful rationale for the Iranian regime to resume uranium enrichment, Rice said.
She added that the U.S. was gravely concerned by Iran’s long history of hiding sensitive nuclear activities from the International Atomic Energy Agency, in violation of its obligations, as well as its refusal to cooperate with the IAEA’s investigation, its rejection of diplomatic initiatives offered by the EU and Russia, and now its dangerous defiance of the entire international community.
The Iranian regime’s defiant resumption of uranium enrichment work leaves the EU with no choice but to request an emergency meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors. That meeting would be to report Iran’s non-compliance with its safeguards obligations to the UN Security Council, Rice said. As the EU-3 and EU have declared, these provocative actions by the Iranian regime have shattered the basis for negotiation.
Iran broke IAEA seals at its uranium enrichment facility in Natanz and resumed previously-suspended nuclear research and development.
The U.S. Secretary of State said that Tehrans actions had made worse the “confidence deficit” that IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei had previously described. As a result, the IAEA Board of Governors must go forward with a report to the UN Security Council, so that the Council can add its weight in support of the ongoing IAEA investigation.
