US softens position on Iran over nukes

The United States has failed to convince most board members of the International Atomic Energy Agency that the Security Council needs to step in, diplomats said Friday.

That task was made more difficult this week after IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei issued a report saying the agency had found "no evidence" of an Iranian nuclear weapons program.

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US envoy Kenneth Brill called the conclusion "questionable." ElBaradei called the statement "disingenuous" and noted US weapons hunters have come up empty-handed in Iraq, another country where it alleged a nuclear program.

State Department spokesman Adam Ereli suggested Friday the United States was backing away from its insistence that the IAEA board refer Iran's record on nuclear activities to the Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions.

"We continue to work with our friends to make sure that the IAEA Board of Governors take fully into account what Dr. ElBaradei reported about Iran's nuclear program," he said in Washington.

Asked specifically if the United States still wants the Iran matter to be referred to the Security Council, Ereli said, "I'm not going to negotiate a board of governor's resolution from the podium."

But a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "I'm not sure, frankly, that referring it to the Security Council is something we are insisting on."

On Thursday, Ereli had said the United States expects the board "to meet its obligations under the IAEA statute to find that Iran has been in noncompliance with its safeguards agreement and to report that noncompliance to the UN Security Council."

The exchange between Brill and ElBaradei, an Egyptian, reflected differences at the IAEA board meeting over whether to condemn Iran's past nuclear transgressions or focus on what major European nations say seems to be its newfound openness.

After two days of failure, the board adjourned until Wednesday in hopes of finding a compromise. IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said the pause would allow for high-level talks in foreign capitals.

Addressing delegates, Brill criticised Iran for "violations and lies" by enriching uranium, processing small amounts of plutonium, and other activities that Washington says point to a weapons agenda.