Iran faces sanctions as Solana’s efforts stall

Efforts by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana to convince Iran to freeze nuclear enrichment appear to have run into the sand, with key international allies again returning to the question of possible sanctions.

After four months of negotiations between Solana’s team and Iran, the so-called E3+3 - China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and US - is expected later this week to put the talks on hold and move the matter to the United Nations Security Council, where Iran will face limited sanctions.

According to a European diplomat closely involved with the talks, Solana will contact his Iranian counterparts to convey the message that talks are over unless Iran agrees immediately to suspend enrichment.

In June this year Solana presented Iran with an offer of wide-ranging talks on trade and civilian nuclear assistance in return for a suspension of enrichment activities, which many suspect of being a cover for a nuclear weapons programme. He has since held dozens of meetings with Iranian officials to try to convince Iran to agree to the deal.

Diplomats this week described Solana’s talks with Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani as "useful", but said Iran had failed to respond clearly to calls for a suspension of uranium enrichment, despite a series of deadlines set by the international community.

According to one EU diplomat, Iran has so far responded by discussing matters "peripheral to the enrichment issue".

Iran has insisted that it will not suspend enrichment before wide-ranging talks begin, nor commit itself to an indefinite suspension, both crucial elements of a proposed deal to ward off sanctions.

Solana is said to have concluded that Iran will not suspend enrichment under current conditions, an opinion he shared with the E3+3 in a teleconference over the weekend.

Further consultations among the group are possible on Friday (6 October), when US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visits Europe after a week-long trip to the Middle East.

Iran will now face what one diplomat described as "sustained diplomatic pressure", with the international community taking an "incremental approach" toward sanctions.

Under sanctions currently being considered, Iran will first face an arms embargo that specifically seeks to limit its ability to purchase technology for its missile and missile control systems.

Diplomats say that the issue is likely to go back to the UN Security Council as soon as next week, unless Iran reverses its policy.

But there appears to be little prospect of an Iranian U-turn.

On Tuesday (3 October) Iran floated the idea of creating a nuclear consortium, led by French firm Areva, to enrich uranium inside Iran.

The proposal was quickly rejected by the French foreign ministry, which called on Iran to respond to Solana on the question of suspending enrichment.

But future talks between Solana and the Iranians have not been ruled out. "If Iran agrees to suspend enrichment then we can go back to the Solana channel, we are not closing any doors," said one diplomat.

Efforts by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana to convince Iran to freeze nuclear enrichment appear to have run into the sand, with key international allies again returning to the question of possible sanctions.