Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates and Germany has said that Iran must do more to allay the international community's concerns about its nuclear programme or fresh sanctions would be likely.
Following a meeting in Abu Dhabi, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan yesterday said he hoped Iran would cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog.
"We are very concerned about Iran's non-transparent behaviour with regard to its nuclear programme," he said after talks with his visiting German counterpart, Guido Westerwelle.
"That is based on its lack of cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). We want more active cooperation from Iran. That would be in the interests of the world, the region and Iran itself."
Sheikh Abdullah noted that the UN Security Council could soon pass a fourth round of sanctions to try to force Iran to abandon sensitive nuclear work, which the West fears is a cover for an atomic weapons programme.
Tehran denies wanting to acquire a nuclear bomb.
"We hope that Iran will behave so cooperatively that sanctions will not be necessary," the UAE Foreign Minister said.
Westerwelle, who is on a tour of Gulf states and whose country is one of six working to convince Tehran to cooperate with the IAEA, said he and Abdullah were in "broad agreement”.
PTI
First Published: Monday, January 11, 2010, 09:51