The US said it was looking at new UN action against Iran after a watchdog report concluded that Tehran had not bowed to demands to suspend uranium enrichment.
WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday said it was looking at new UN action against Iran after a watchdog report concluded that Tehran had not bowed to demands to suspend uranium enrichment.
State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said the United States would study the report, but added it was "obvious to everyone that Iran has not complied with the requirements of the UN Security Council."
"As the secretary said the other day, that is going to leave us in a position of looking at next steps in the council on how to proceed," Casey added.
"The resolution said that in the light of this report the council would consider other measures if Iran was found not to be in compliance. And unfortunately that is the path I think we find ourselves on."
"It's a missed opportunity for the Iranian government and a missed opportunity for the Iranian people," Casey said.
At the United Nations, Slovakian Ambassador Peter Burian, security council president for February, said he would sound out the body's 15 members next week on possible action against Tehran.
International Atomic Energy Agency said in a report filed in Vienna to the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors and the UN Security Council, said Thursday that "Iran has not suspended its enrichment-related activities".
White House national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the United State was "disappointed" in Iran's inaction.
Asked about the potential elements of a new tougher resolution, a State Department official said privately "there are a number of ideas I know that people are circulating around, but there are not any sort of formal elements or any agreed-upon sense of the specific language that would be included. I don't think anybody is pretending that negotiations about this are easy or quick, but I do think that our general belief is that yes, in fact it is possible to have another resolution with some additional measures," the official added.
In Tehran, a top official said Iran cannot accept UN demands that it halt uranium enrichment because they are contrary to its rights under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
"Iran considers that a suspension of uranium would be contrary to its rights, to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and to international rules," said Mohammad Saidi, deputy director of Iran's atomic energy agency.
"Given that, Tehran cannot accept Security Council Resolution 1737 demanding a suspension of uranium enrichment."
Britain, meanwhile, said it would work towards more UN Security Council measures leading to Iran's "further isolation" after Tehran failed to meet the council's demands to stop enriching uranium.
Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said Britain remained committed to a negotiated solution and would now consult with its international partners to find a way to prevent Iran from acquiring the means to develop nuclear weapons.
France wants a new UN Security Council resolution imposing sanctions on Iran. "We want a second resolution to be adopted unanimously by the Security Council to continue the sanctions," Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy told reporters.
"We request that Iran suspend its sensitive nuclear activities: enrichment, uranium conversion and the heavy-water activities, as well as ballistic activities," said the foreign minister.
A Security Council resolution passed on December 23 imposed limited sanctions on Iran to get it to freeze enrichment, which makes fuel for civilian reactors but can also produce atom bomb material.
Britain and France are permanent members of the Security Council, together with the United States, Russia and China.
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