Nations hope to reach united front over Iran

VIENNA, Austria – World powers appeared close to agreement Tuesday on steps to curb Iran’s nuclear program, but several Western diplomats said they remain concerned about evidence of highly enriched uranium discovered on equipment at a military site.

A united front for the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany would boost the diplomatic effort on Iran, which has foundered in the face of defiance from the Tehran government, which announced in April that it had successfully enriched uranium. Since then President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or his surrogates have made almost daily boasts about the country’s nuclear ambitions.

Foreign ministers from the five permanent Council members, Germany and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will meet Thursday in Vienna to try to bridge their differences on Iran negotiations. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to attend the meeting.

President Bush personally spoke to Russian, French and German leaders Tuesday.

The intensive discussions involve a package of incentives that the EU will offer to Iran to halt its uranium enrichment, give more access for U.N. inspectors and answer outstanding questions from U.N. inspectors.

Differences remain over the timing of sanctions if Iran refuses the offer.

The United States wants the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions within weeks if Iran fails to comply with the demands. But the Russians and Chinese are reluctant to support sanctions, particularly if they are tied to the EU offer.

The United States would prefer to see the EU offer its package of incentives to Iran at the same time that the Security Council approves a resolution authorizing sanctions if Iran fails to comply within 30 days.

Iran appears to be proceeding with its enrichment program and continues to obscure the extent of its nuclear efforts before 2002, when its previously clandestine program was disclosed.

Traces of enriched uranium found recently on equipment from the Physics Research Center at the Lavisan military site included at least one sample with an enrichment level of 54 percent, according to diplomats close to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Other samples had lower levels, according to officials close to the IAEA.

The origin of the highly enriched uranium is unclear, but troubling, said diplomats. Uranium for civilian purposes is typically enriched to between 3 percent and 5 percent although it can be enriched to as high as 10 percent. The percentage refers to the relative amount of the U-235 uranium isotope, which is the necessary ingredient to sustain a nuclear chain reaction. Uranium enriched to more than 90 percent is considered weapons grade.

“Iran certainly still has some explaining to do,” said a senior diplomat in Vienna.