Tehran had failed to comply with the requests made by the International Atomic Energy Agencys Board of Governors and the United Nations Security Council, the EU said in a statement issued at the end of the meeting of its Foreign Ministers in Brussels. Iran had also failed to actively cooperate with the Agency to clarify the outstanding issues, including those that may have a military dimension, it added.
The 25-nation block called on the Iranian authorities to cooperate fully with the IAEA, suspend all enrichment related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, and to suspend the construction of a reactor moderated by heavy water in order to create conditions in which negotiations might resume. The EU fully supports the Security Council making this mandatory.
The statement noted that the EU would be prepared to support Irans development of a safe, sustainable and proliferation-proof civilian nuclear programme, if international concerns were fully addressed and confidence in Iran’s intentions established, adding, The EU hopes that Iran will not fail to take up such an offer.
It added that the EU remained deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Iran, which is at variance with universal principles and Iran’s specific obligations.
It expresses its concern about the increasing number of executions, arbitrary detentions, the growing restrictions on access to information, the increasing violations of freedom of speech and religion, especially concerning the situation of the Sufi and Bahai communities, as well as the intimidation and harassment of human rights defenders, lawyers and minority groups.
The EU would like to be able to develop relations with Iran based on confidence and cooperation. The alternative is that Iran chooses further isolation. The Council also expects Iran to contribute to regional stability, it said.
