Vienna, Nov 25: Breaking days of deadlock, the US and key European countries have agreed on how to balance condemnation of Iran's past nuclear transgressions with recognition of its newfound openness, diplomats said. The diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said yesterday a draft resolution was formally submitted to the board of governors of the international atomic energy agency two days before it was to resume a meeting adjourned Friday to allow time to bridge the rift.
The diplomats told the associated press that the draft included a "trigger mechanism" demanded by the United States in the form of a clause indirectly threatening security council action should Iran was found guilty of "further significant failures" new evidence of clandestine activities or failure to honour its new commitments to the IAEA.
Washington had insisted it would hold out for at least a threat of security council action over 18 years of clandestine activities by Iran, including uranium enrichment and plutonium processing that US officials say point to a nuclear weapons agenda.
France, Germany and Britain instead put forward a relatively softly worded draft resolution meant to focus on encouraging Iran to continue its stated commitment to open its nuclear programmes to stringent IAEA scrutiny. That was rejected by Washington, leading to days of deadlock before compromise was achieved late yesterday.
Bureau Report