Iran Focus: London, Jan. 23 United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini called on Monday for Irans nuclear file to be referred to the United Nations Security Council. Iran Focus
London, Jan. 23 United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini called on Monday for Irans nuclear file to be referred to the United Nations Security Council.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C. after their meeting, Rice said, It is now time to refer the Iranian case to the Security Council.
The Iranians have done plenty for a referral at this point in time. They have walked out of negotiations with the European three. They have broken the moratorium on enrichment and reprocessing that they had been involved in. They have broken the seals at Natanz. It seems to me that the case for referral is very strong and that’s what we intend to seek at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting. The Security Council can then take up the matter at a later time, but the referral absolutely has to be made, Rice said.
Her comments were backed by Fini who said, The international community must be united and very resolved. It is now absolutely necessary to refer the case to the Security Council. The Security Council will evaluate the issue, we hope, with flexibility and with political far-sightedness.
Rice said that she believes that negotiations with Tehran over its suspected nuclear weapons program had come to a dead end.
I don’t see much room for further discussion in any format while those conditions exist, and that is why I’ve emphasized the Security Council route, she said.
