IRAN U.S., Europe OK draft on nuke program

Iran denies it wants to enrich uranium for use in nuclear warheads.
VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- U.S. and European negotiators at a key meeting of the U.N. atomic watchdog agency agreed today on a draft resolution to deprive Iran of technology that could be used to make nuclear weapons and setting an indirect deadline on Tehran to meet their conditions.
But ambiguities in the draft left open the possibility of new confrontation between Iran and the United States when the meeting -- a board of governors' conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency -- reconvenes in November.
The text, made available to The Associated Press, demanded Iran suspend all uranium enrichment activities -- but also recognized the right of countries to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, a phrase that left Tehran plenty of wiggle room.
Iran says it is already honoring a pledge to freeze enrichment, and Tehran's chief delegate to the meeting suggested his country would keep that suspension in effect at least until the November deadline set by the draft resolution.
Denies U.S. accusations
Iran says it is interested in enrichment only to generate power, denying accusations by the United States that it wants to produce weapons-grade uranium for nuclear warheads.
Hossein Mousavian, Tehran's chief delegate to the meeting, suggested recognition of Iran's right to nuclear technology for nonmilitary use meant his country had the right to enrich, whenever it decided to end its partial freeze.
"For us two or three months of [continued] suspension is not the issue," he told The Associated Press. "For us, the recognition of the right to Iran" to possess technology for nonmilitary use "is the most important issue."
He said the "decision-makers in Tehran" would soon decide whether to extend Iran's present freeze on enrichment. But he said any extension would be restricted to the suspension now in effect on actual production of enriched uranium and not include related activities.
That would run counter to the demand in the draft that calls on Iran to "immediately suspend all enrichment-related activities," including making, assembling and testing centrifuges and the production of uranium hexafluoride, which when spun turns into enriched uranium.
The draft also expressed alarm at Iranian plans to process more than 40 tons of raw uranium into uranium hexafluoride feed stock for enrichment.
Pressured to stop
Iran is not prohibited from enrichment under its obligations to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty but faces growing international pressure to suspend such activities as a good-faith gesture.
The text said the November board meeting will decide "whether or not further steps are required." Diplomats familiar with the text defined that phrase as shorthand for possible referral of Iran to the U.N. Security Council if it defies the conditions set in the resolution.
By giving the Iranians room to maneuver on enrichment the text appeared to fall far short of what the Americans had wanted. Washington had pushed to drop mention of countries' right to peaceful nuclear technology and fought for an Oct. 31 deadline, with the understanding that if Iran failed to comply with the resolution's demands, the board would then automatically begin deliberations on Security Council referral.
A European diplomat familiar with the negotiations leading to the draft said, however, that Washington had to give in to united European opposition.
"I have seldom heard as many 'nos' as when Oct. 31 was mentioned," said the diplomat, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. The Russians, Chinese and nonaligned nations were opposed to striking the right of countries to peaceful use of nuclear energy, he said.