US sees no sign of Iran abandoning nuclear aims

Washington - Iran has shown no sign of abandoning what US officials conclude is an active nuclear weapons programme and has sought to divide the international community by threatening to resume uranium processing, a top US diplomat said.

Nicholas Burns, undersecretary of state for political affairs, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the United States had clear commitments from its allies to deny Iran's nuclear ambitions and seek consequences if Tehran violated a November 2004 agreement to suspend nuclear activities.

"We see no sign that Iran has made the necessary strategic decision to abandon its nuclear ambitions," Burns told the committee.

"Our message to Tehran today is: adhere to the Paris Agreement, maintain suspension of all nuclear-related activities and negotiate in good faith the eventual cessation and dismantling of all sensitive nuclear fuel cycle activities."

Burns also underscored a recent shift in US policy toward Iran signaled in March when Washington announced that it would support negotiations by France, Germany and Britain -- the EU3 -- by not opposing Iran's application to join the World Trade Organisation and considering the export of spare parts for commercial passenger aircraft.

"The EU3 deserves our appreciation," he said.

But Burns was adamant that US allies had given President George W Bush a clear commitment to deny Iran nuclear weapons and recognize the need for consequences if Tehran failed to adhere to its international commitments.

"The international community stands united: Iran must not be permitted to develop the capacity to build or deliver a nuclear weapon," said Burns, who told lawmakers that the United States was in daily contact with European negotiators.

Burns' remarks came as Iran said it would wait for a few weeks before resuming nuclear activities opposed by the West if upcoming talks with European powers go well.

France, Germany and Britain warned Iran last week that they would break off negotiations and join the United States in seeking UN Security Council action against Tehran if it reversed its freeze on atomic work.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful power generation.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the man thought most likely to be Iran's next president, told Reuters on Thursday he wanted to repair relations with the United States but Washington had to take the first steps to end 25 years of enmity.

But Burns dismissed the likely value of direct engagement with Tehran and said Iran has rebuffed the United States a number of times.

"We have not been, over the past 25 years, against communication. But the Iranian government has pretty consistently refused to have any interest in wanting to have a responsible discourse," Burns said.

The governing board of the Vienna-based UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will begin discussing its latest progress report on a two-year investigation of Tehran on June 13, four days before the Iranian election.

Keeping the suspension of nuclear activity in place at least until the election would ensure Tehran a relatively positive report from the IAEA and undermine any US drive to refer it to the Security Council, diplomats in the Austrian capital said.

The United States would then have to wait until the IAEA board meets again in September to take any action.

- REUTERS