05 September 2006

United States Committed to Diplomacy in Iran Nuclear Dispute

Iran must meet U.N. Security Council conditions, State Department says

 

An interior view of Iran's Boushehr nuclear power plant, southwest of Tehran (©AP Images)

By Lea Terhune
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack predicts intensive diplomacy over the coming weeks as Iran’s position on uranium enrichment is addressed.

“We are committed to diplomacy ourselves, but we’re not going to negotiate … about negotiations,” he said. He said the conditions set in U.N. Security Council Resolution 1696 are very clear. The July 31 resolution asked Iran to suspend all enrichment-related activities in its nuclear program, including research and development, and to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect its nuclear facilities. “If the regime in Tehran meets those conditions, which are quite clear, straightforward, then there can be negotiations,” McCormack told journalists September 5.

The five permanent members of the Security Council -- China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States -- plus Germany offered a package of incentives to Iran if it accepted the conditions, and threatened economic sanctions if it did not. Iran declined to agree by the August 31 deadline. (See related article.)

McCormack said he expected “tough, intensive diplomacy” in the coming weeks over the contents of a sanctions resolution. U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns begins consultations September 6 to discuss these measures with U.S. counterparts.

“There’s been a fundamental breakdown in trust between Iran and the international community with respect to the Iranian nuclear program,” McCormack said.

He expressed concern that Iran would become more isolated by refusing to engage with the international community along the lines set out by the U.N. Security Council, “which is something we do not desire.”

“It’s a great culture, it’s a great people, and it would be a shame to see this regime further isolate the Iranian people from the rest of the world.”

Regarding former Iranian President Khatami’s private visit to the United States, McCormack said that although Khatami was not here at the invitation of the United States government, he hopes that Khatami will carry back the message to Iran that “the American people don’t wish to be isolated from the Iranian people.”

McCormack said the United States has a number of programs “to try to encourage information flow to the Iranian people,” noting that it is difficult for the Iranian people to get a complete view of world events and opinion.  The U.S. is working on educational exchange programs, and he added, “[W]e’re trying to do a better job in terms of understanding what is going on inside Iran.”

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)