U.S. Has Backed Off from Efforts to Create Consensus Against Iran: Salehi
Washington's most recent efforts were meant to influence article 3 of Europe's draft resolution on Iran’s nuclear program and this has postponed the issuance of the final draft resolution of the IAEA Board of Governors until Monday evening.
Salehi told the Mehr News Agency correspondent in Vienna that the final version of Europe's draft resolution is complete, adding that the only matter hindering the process of issuing it is Washington's insistence that article 3 should be changed.
The Iranian envoy, at the end of the consulting group's session held among member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), said that despite its complete isolation due to its various machinations, the U.S. is still insisting that article 3 should be revised and named the "trigger mechanism".
"If it wasn't for Europe's resistance, under the influence of the viewpoints of Iran, NAM member countries, and independent members of the IAEA Board of Governors, this resolution would most likely have been issued by now," he said.
Salehi stated that minor irregularities would not result in the case being referred to the UN Security Council, adding that Europe has stipulated that such a clause should only be applicable in the event of "serious violations that cannot be reformed".
"Europe has stressed that under such circumstances an automatic mechanism (as reported incorrectly by certain media) is meaningless," he said.
Salehi added that according to the agency's articles of association, the IAEA Board of Governors can put the issue on the agenda of discussions among its members or refer it to the UN Security Council according to the Board's final resolution.
He went on to say that such a mechanism is natural, adding that in the event of a violation, the IAEA Board would hold a session and only refer the dossier to the UN Security Council if the members agreed to do so.
Salehi stressed that the other parts of the draft have undergone slight changes, which were apparently influenced by NAM members' viewpoints, adding that the inclusion of such modifications in the final draft would be a very positive development.
French Foreign Minister Jacques de Villepin held talks on Monday with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on latest changes to a resolution on Iran’s nuclear program in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors.
U.S. rejected Monday as too weak a new UN draft resolution from Britain, France and Germany on Iran's nuclear program safeguards but was still pursuing negotiations, diplomats said.
The IAEA board had begun meeting last Thursday but adjourned Friday because of the deadlock. It is to resume talks Wednesday.