The EU accused Iran on Thursday of having documents that show how to produce parts of nuclear warheads. It and the US warned of UN Security Council action, even while Iran suggested it was considering a compromise meant to reduce tensions.
Britain, in a statement on behalf of the EU, offered new negotiations meant to persuade Tehran to give up insistence on running its own domestic program of uranium enrichment -- a possible pathway to nuclear arms.
"But Iran should not conclude that this window of opportunity will remain open in all circumstances," said a statement read by Peter Jenkins, the chief British delegate to the International Atomic Energy Agency, outside a closed meeting of the agency's 35-nation board. Diplomats described the statement as a veiled threat of Security Council referral.
"It won't be open for a great deal longer," he later said when asked how much time Iran had to influence the language of a report to the Security Council.
An earlier statement made available to the press was even more direct.
"Failure to make progress" on easing international concerns about Iran's nuclear program "will hasten the day when the board decides that a report to the Security Council must be made," said that statement, which was toned down before being delivered to the media.
No nation pushed for immediate Security Council referral at this session, and the meeting formally took note of the decision not to report Iran to the top UN decision-making body before formally wrapping up its deliberations on the Iran issue.
But the US said Iran cannot avoid such action for violating the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, adding that Washington and its European allies were only delaying such a move to give Tehran a chance to defuse fears it wants to make nuclear arms.
"Iran must understand that the report to the Council is required and will be made at a time of this board's choosing," Gregory Shulte, the chief US representative to the Vienna-based IAEA, told the agency's board.
But Washington, he said, is ready to wait in hopes that "Iran will reverse course and demonstrate" cooperation both with an IAEA probe of its nuclear activities and an international attempt to re-engage it in talks meant to reduce fears about its intentions.
"One thing is clear, no one wants this dangerous regime to acquire the most deadly of weapons," he later told reporters.
With even traditional allies Russia and China increasing pressure on Tehran, the Iranians are "digging themselves deeper into a hole that threatens to collapse around them," he said.
For months, Iran has relied on Beijing and Moscow to fend off a US-backed push to have it hauled before the UN Security Council. But the Russians are now working with the Americans and Europeans to have Iran accept a compromise enrichment plan, and US and European officials recently said that China was also moving closer to the Western position.
In comments both to media and inside the closed board meeting, Jenkins focused on new revelations contained in a report drawn up for the board meeting by IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei, including a finding showing the Iranians in possession of what appeared to be drawings of the core of an atomic warhead.
In his statement to the board, Jenkins said that the documents have "no other application than the production of nuclear warheads."
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