USA: Washington says "time is short" for Iran to submit response to a U.N deal meant to allay suspicions over nuclear weapons

Record ID: 313743

  • Title: USA: Washington says "time is short" for Iran to submit response to a U.N deal meant to allay suspicions over nuclear weapons
  • Date: 18th November 2009
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 17, 2009) (UNRESTRICTED POOL) STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN IAN KELLY ENTERING ROOM FOR NEWS BRIEFING REPORTER ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN IAN KELLY SAYING: "I mean clearly we're going to have to review the bidding given the fact that Iran has not provided us with a formal response. As I said before, we're not prepared to actually pronounce that they've rejected the deal, because they haven't formally rejected the deal yet, but we'll continue to consult with the..." REPORTER INTERRUPTS, SAYING: "Is there any timeline on which you would say that you just decided amounts to a formal rejection, or can we just spin this out for weeks and weeks and weeks?" STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN IAN KELLY SAYING: "Well, I'm not sure, you know we always hesitate to give a formal deadline, but, I mean, I would just say that time is very short." REPORTER ASKING QUESTION STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN IAN KELLY ENDING NEWS BRIEFING
  • Embargoed: 3rd December 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVACBXQM1V04IP7YQGOMFYVRJ3OQ
  • Story Text: Iran faces a "very short" window to submit its formal response to a U.N.-brokered deal meant to allay suspicions it seeks to develop nuclear weapons, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday (November 17).
    State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters that frustration is building, noting that Tehran had still not made a formal reply to a proposal drafted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) almost a month ago.
    "We're not not prepared to actually pronounce that they have rejected the deal because they haven't formally rejected the deal yet," Kelly said.
    "We always hesitate to give a formal deadline -- but I would just say that time is very short."
    Kelly said an IAEA report this week which said Iran's belated revelation of a new uranium enrichment site raised concern about possible further nuclear secrets underscored the need for full Iranian compliance with its international obligations.
    The draft deal brokered by the IAEA, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, calls on Iran to send some 75 percent of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) to Russia and France to be turned into fuel for a Tehran medical research reactor.
    Tehran, which says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, says it prefers to buy reactor fuel from foreign suppliers rather than part with its LEU, that can be used for bombs if enriched further.
    Tehran has yet to give a full, official reply on the proposal drafted in September after talks with Iran, France, Russia and the United States.
    The United States has rejected Iranian calls for amendments and further talks on the deal, saying it is ready to seek further international sanctions against Tehran should the deal fall through.
    "The failure to provide a response to this, and its overall noncompliance as laid out in the IAEA agreement, frankly doesn't give us a whole lot of confidence that they will respond formally," Kelly said.
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