No Results On Second Day Of Iran-Russia Nuclear Talks
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it is too early to call the talks a success or failure (file photo) (epa)
Russia proposed the offer to enrich uranium for Iran to allay international fears that Tehran is seeking nuclear weapons. The United States and the European Union have expressed cautious support for the plan.
The negotiations ended today without any reportable progress. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it was too early to describe the talks in terms of "failure" or "success," noting negotiations will continue.
"We will of course provide information about the results [of the talks later],” he said. “I would be careful about using such terms as 'collapse' or 'lack of success' or 'failure' until the talks are over."
Russian atomic energy chief Sergei Kiriyenko is scheduled to visit Iran for further talks on the matter on 23 February.
(compiled from agency reports)
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On 4 February, the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency approved in a 27-3 vote a resolution to report the matter of Iran's nuclear program to the United Nations Security Council. The key section of the resolution is Section 1, which states that the Board of Governors:
Underlines that outstanding questions can best be resolved and confidence built in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's program by Iran responding positively to the calls for confidence-building measures which the Board has made on Iran, and in this context deems it necessary for Iran to:
- reestablish full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related and processing activities, including research and development, to be verified by the Agency;
- reconsider the construction of a research reactor moderated by heavy water;
- ratify promptly and implement in full Additional Protocol;
- pending ratification, continue to act in accordance with the provisions of the Additional Protocol with Iran signed on 18 December 2003;
- implement the transparency measures, as requested by the Director General, which extend beyond the former requirements of the Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol, and include such access to individuals, documentation relating to procurement, dual use equipment, certain military-owned workshops and research and development as the Agency may request in support of its ongoing investigations.
COMPLETE TEXT: To read the final resolution, with late-hour changes highlighted, click here.
THE COMPLETE PICTURE: RFE/RL's complete coverage of controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear program.
An annotated timeline of Iran's nuclear program.