Straw hosts Iran nuclear talks

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will host talks today ahead of a meeting later this week that is almost certain to see the matter of Iran's resumption of its nuclear development programme referred to the United Nations Security Council.

Ministers from France, Germany, Russia, the US and China are among those attending informal talks at which Iranian diplomats hope will avert an international crisis.

While no firm decisions are expected to be reached, the talks will nonetheless be used to set the tone at a later meeting of the International Atomic Energy Committee this week.

Following Iran's announcement that work was recommencing at the Natanz nuclear facility, and fears that the plant may be assisting an Iranian effort to develop a nuclear weapons capability, some countries will be pressing for sanctions on Iran.

The IAEC will be considering a move to refer Iran to the UN Security Council for the imposition of sanctions, or at least informing the UN of Tehran's failure to comply with a suspension on its nuclear programme.

Influential US figures are concerned that Iran, which has declared its nuclear programme as being for civilian energy only, is aiming to produce nuclear weapons.

Iran has called a Brussels meeting in an attempt to persuade the EU three that the UN Security Council do not need to be involved.

The five permanent UN Security Council members, Britain, France, the US, Russia and China will be examining action.

However, Russia and China are in favour of granting Iran more time in the face of a lack of international consensus on the matter.

Russia has gone as far as offering to enrich uranium for Iran, a move which Tehran views as conciliatory, but which opponents consider to be a fudge.

(SP)