VIENNA, 25 September 2005 — The UN nuclear watchdog passed a resolution yesterday requiring Iran to be reported to the Security Council at an unspecified date for failing to convince the agency its nuclear program was entirely peaceful.
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) governing board approved the resolution despite threats by Iran to begin enriching uranium.
The resolution was drafted by Britain, France and Germany and backed by the United States, but it was watered down by the Europeans, who had wanted Iran to be referred to the Security Council immediately.
With 22 votes for, one against and 12 abstentions, the outcome also highlighted the split between Western nations and others such as Russia, China and South Africa, which disagree with the EU three and Washington on how to deal with Iran.
Iran’s chief delegate to the IAEA meeting said the lack of consensus was a failure for the West. “The United States and United Kingdom wanted... to send the case to the UN Security Council now. And at this session, they failed,” Javad Vaeedi told reporters.
The resolution requires Tehran to be reported to the Security Council at an unspecified date, meaning Iran would probably not be referred to the Security Council until the IAEA board meets in November, diplomats say.
The UN Security Council can impose sanctions on Iran, but Russia and China as permanent members hold veto powers.
EU diplomats, however, said the vote was a victory for Western efforts to ratchet up the pressure on Tehran as China and Russia, which had strongly opposed the EU’s proposed resolution, abstained.
Matt Boland, the spokesman for the US mission, told reporters that the fact India backed the resolution showed New Delhi shared the “concern with Iran’s established pattern of deception.”
Russia is building a $1 billion nuclear reactor at Bushehr in Iran, while China needs Iran’s vast energy resources for its own booming economy.
