| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
Russia Gives Iran One More Chance
Official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Andrey Nesterenko has expressed regret that Iran’s response to the proposal of the “Six” intermediaries for negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program “In essence contains no response.” Nesterenko said the Six (Russia, the United States, China, Great Britain, France and Germany) consider all options still open to agree upon a strategy. “We will retain all possibilities for a proposal for contacts with the Iranian side with the goal of elucidating its position and coming to a negotiated solution,” Nesterenko said.
Iran made its response to the initiative of the international intermediaries on August 5. The Six proposed not to impose new sanctions against the Islamic Republic in exchange for it freezing its uranium enrichment program and cancelling the installation of new centrifuges for a six-week period. Iran stated in a one-page communiqué that it would respond to the proposal after it received a response to its questions on the initiative.
Nesterenko said that the Six agreed to begin discussions of a new package of sanctions, since Iran’s response was insufficient and intended as a stalling measure. The UN Security Council has already passed three resolutions imposing sanctions on Iran. They include freezing the accounts of Iranian banks and bans on travel to many countries by Iranian leaders and other prominent figures. There are also significant trade restrictions. Analysts say, however, that it will be difficult to impose a fourth set of sanctions on Iran through the Security Council because of the loyalty of Russia and China to the Iranian regime.
www.kommersant.com
|
|
|
