AFP: France on Wednesday renewed its threat to haul the issue of Iran’s nuclear programme before the UN Security Council if the Islamic republic did not suspend activities in that area. PARIS, Nov 2 (AFP) – France on Wednesday renewed its threat to haul the issue of Iran’s nuclear programme before the UN Security Council if the Islamic republic did not suspend activities in that area.
Foreign Minister Philip Douste-Blazy told parliament that if Iran did not return to negotiations with the so-called EU-3 (France, Britain and Germany) on the issue, “then there will be firmness and there will be a return to (IAEA director Mohamed) ElBaradei’s report to the United Nations Security Council.”
He said France would look for international unity on the issue at a November 24 meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran’s new hardline president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has ruled out a suspension of nuclear activities, insisting that his country had a right to pursue a civilian nuclear energy programme.
But the West fears such a programme might be used to build a nuclear arsenal — a prospect especially worrying given Ahmadinejad’s recent call for Israel to be “wiped off the map”.
The Iranian government announced it was replacing its ambassador to France as part of an overhaul of its diplomatic corps.
He is one of 40 senior Iranian diplomats to be moved out of his post. Several of them were seen as having been close to either the former reformist government or more moderate conservative forces and were engaged in the lengthy nuclear talks with Britain, France and Germany.
