01 April 2008

Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, has urged Iran to drop its opposition to talks with six key nations trying to ensure that its nuclear program is peaceful, saying the only way to resolve the dispute was through negotiations. The six countries – China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the United States – have offered Iran a package of political, security and economic incentives if it suspends uranium enrichment. However, Iran has refused, sharply criticizing a third round of sanctions imposed on 03 March for defying the Security Council's demand to suspend enrichment. Tehran insists its program is intended solely to develop nuclear power to generate electricity.

Iran says it will deal only with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN's nuclear watchdog. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman called the Security Council's demand "worthless and unacceptable" and said it was "based on political motivations." The Russian Ambassador, whose country has opposed harsh punishment of Iran in the dispute, said at a news conference that talks are the only way to resolve the stand-off.

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