Special
report: Iran Nuclear Crisis
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security
Council will wait to take action on possible Iranian sanctions until a scheduled
meeting next week between EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Tehran's
main negotiator Ali Larijani, the U.S. ambassador to the UN said Thursday.
"We intend to let this meeting between Solana and
Larijani take place next week, and then we will be consulting here and in
capitals about where to go from there," John Bolton told reporters after a
council vote on a resolution on Sudan's Darfur.
He made the remarks shortly after the Security
Council received a report from Director-General Mohammed ElBaradei of the
International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran's compliance with council resolution
1696 that requires it suspends nuclear enrichment by August 31.
The UN nuclear watchdog reported that Iran has
continued enriching uranium despite a UN nuclear deadline for it to suspend or
face possible sanctions.
The report "provides ample evidence of (Iranian)
defiance," said Bolton, adding that the council must begin drawing up sanctions.
"There's simply no explanation for the range of
Iranian behavior which we've seen over the years other than that they're
pursuing a weapons capability," he said. Enditem
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Annan made the remarks during a news conference in
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Bush warns Iran of "consequences" for UN
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (Xinhua)-- U.S. President George
W. Bush said on Thursday that "there must be consequences" for Iran to refuse to
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Addressing the annual American Legion convention in
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Iran says IAEA report
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TEHRAN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The vice president of
Iran's atomic energy organization said on Thursday that a new report of the IAEA
on Iran's nuclear issue had proved the fact that the U.S. propaganda against
Iran was baseless, the Mehr news agency reported.
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WASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Xinhua)-- The United States and
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Italy willing to help in
negotiations with Iran
ROME, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Italy is willing to play a
role if there is a chance of resuming negotiations with Iran on its
controversial nuclear program, Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D 'Alema said on
Thursday.
"If there is any glimmer of hope of resuming
negotiations, we must act on it and Italy can play a positive role," D'Alema
said when addressing a political convention in the southern town of Telese
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