Bush Says He Wants To Solve Iran Crisis Peacefully

U.S President George W. Bush (file photo) (epa) April 28, 2006 -- U.S. President George W. Bush says he wants to resolve the Iran nuclear dispute "diplomatically and peacefully."
Bush made the remarks after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today reported that Iran has failed to comply with the UN Security Council's demands to halt uranium enrichment.


U.S. officials say Tehran is secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons. Bush says the world is "united and concerned."


"It's very important for the Iranians to understand there is a common desire by a lot of nations in this world to convince them -- peacefully convince them -- that they ought to give up their weapons ambitions."


John Bolton, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, says Washington will press for the UN Security Council to issue a binding resolution that requires Iran's compliance.


In London, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw said Britain will also ask the UN Security Council to increase its pressure on Iran. France says it is convinced the crisis must be resolved diplomatically.


(compiled from agency reports)

IAEA Final Resolution

IAEA Final Resolution



READ

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.