Monday, February 13, 2012

Iran

EU Ministers Approve Plan Implementing Iran Sanctions

Douste-Blazy (left) with Solana (right) and their German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier (file photo) (epa)

February 12, 2007 -- Foreign ministers of the 27 European Union member countries meeting in Brussels have approved plans for implementing UN sanctions against Iran.

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February 12, 2007

The UN Security Council imposed sanctions in December targeting people and programs linked to Iran's nuclear program due to Iran's refusal to halt uranium enrichment.

A technical snag involving Spain and Britain had threatened to hold up implementation of the sanctions.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said the idea of holding talks while Iran carried out uranium enrichment was "totally unacceptable," noting that the UN Security Council has imposed sanctions on Iran for failing to halt enrichment.

EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana today called for renewed dialogue with Iran.

His comments come one day after Iran's President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said Tehran is ready to return to negotiations with Western countries. But in comments on February 11, Ahmadinejad reiterated that Iran will not agree to Western demands to halt uranium enrichment.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Husseini said today that officials in Tehran are examining the details of a Swiss plan to ease the standoff.

Iranian state radio reports that Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ari Larijani will hold talks today with Swiss President and Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey in Bern.

A diplomat at the Swiss Embassy in Tehran declined to comment.

(compiled from agency reports)

Iran's Nuclear Program

THE COMPLETE PICTURE: RFE/RL's complete coverage of controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear program.

CHRONOLOGY

An annotated timeline of Iran's nuclear program.

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