UN chief calls on Iran to suspend nuclear activities

Iran Focus: London, Jan. 20 – United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan urged Iran on Thursday to suspend nuclear activities carried out at its uranium enrichment facility in Natanz and hinted at Security Council action on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear file if Tehran did not heed the call. Iran Focus

London, Jan. 20 – United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan urged Iran on Thursday to suspend nuclear activities carried out at its uranium enrichment facility in Natanz and hinted at Security Council action on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear file if Tehran did not heed the call.

Speaking to reporters in New York, Annan said that Tehran had to foster an environment conducive to talks on its nuclear ambitions.

“My own advice to the Iranians is to create an environment that will allow the negotiations to go forward”, he said.

Last week, Iran broke the International Atomic Energy Agency’s seals on equipment used to produce enriched uranium, ending its suspension of those activities. Iran contends that it is only conducting research and development for peaceful purposes, but the UN nuclear watchdog has said that it had been unable to verify this claim.

The UN chief called on Tehran not to resume nuclear research at Natanz. “We need time to build confidence and trust so that these negotiations will take place in an atmosphere which is appropriate”, he stressed.

He said, however, that as a last resort the matter would be referred to the UN Security Council. “If all else fails and the process is exhausted and the issue were to come here, then the Council will have to deal with it”.