18 June 2003
U.S. leads 'major diplomatic push' on Iran nuclear program
Mark Landler
The New York Times

The diplomatic offensive came a day after the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, reported that Iran had not been forthcoming about its activities, which include the importation of uranium and the recent construction of two large nuclear facilities.

"Iran has failed to meet its obligations," ElBaradei said in a confidential report delivered to the 35 members of the agency's board. A copy of the report was obtained by The New York Times.

The agency's harsh tone has prompted the United States and several other nations to attempt to pass a resolution calling on Iran to sign an additional agreement with the agency, which would allow it to inspect more of the country's nuclear facilities with less advance warning.

"There's a major diplomatic push under way," said a Western diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity. "This is not like the UN, which passes resolutions every day. This is heavy artillery."

Diplomats cautioned that the effort could still be dropped if it becomes clear that a resolution would not win a majority of the board. Iran, which holds a seat, has been jockeying for support, too, and it is not nearly as isolated as Iraq and North Korea were in previous such debates.

A group of countries in the non-aligned movement are expected to deliver a joint statement to the board Wednesday, in which they may praise Iran for its cooperation with the agency.

"It's good, old-fashioned Cold War diplomacy," the diplomat said.

While the agency's report stops far short of saying that the Iranian government is trying to develop nuclear weapons, it documents a pattern - dating to 1991 - in which Iran has withheld information about its activities and hindered the agency's efforts to find out the extent of its program.

In particular, it cites a fuel-enrichment facility being built at Natanz and a heavy-water production plant at Arak. It also notes that Iran has not allowed the agency to take environmental samples at the Kalaye Electric Plant, which its experts suspect was used to enrich nuclear material.

Western diplomats hope the report will sway countries that express concern about Iran's plans but hesitate to do more than that.

"We're trying to persuade people who are still sitting on the fence that the Iranians have been pursuing a nuclear program under the guise of a power program," said a another senior diplomat. "The world needs to be aware of that, and to be prepared to take action," he added.

Still, nobody here at the agency's Vienna headquarters is talking about imposing sanctions on Tehran, or referring the matter to the United Nations Security Council. Iran has not been judged to be "noncompliant" with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, as has North Korea.

Agency officials are careful to say that there is no evidence that Iran is  seeking to build a nuclear bomb. The report notes that the amount of uranium imported by Iran in 1991 was not great, and that it would require further processing before it could be used in an explosive device.

But it adds, "the number of failures by Iran" to report about its activities and new facilities is "a matter of concern."

Iran said Tuesday it would be receptive to the request for less fettered access. "We are studying positively the appeal by the International Atomic Energy Agency to sign an additional protocol," a spokesman for the Iran's atomic energy agency, Khalil Mousavi, said to The Associated Press.

Diplomats here were skeptical that Iran's response represented a step forward. Iranian officials have tied their willingness to grant further access on getting nuclear technology - a position Washington has rejected.

The debate over Iran's nuclear program has occurred in a charged atmosphere, with Iran accusing the United States of interfering in its internal affairs by expressing support for the student protests against the Iranian regime. The United States has denied that charge.