U.S. Rejects Iran Security Call

US rejects Iran security call
From correspondents in Washington
22mar05

THE US today brushed off a call by the top UN nuclear inspector that it give Iran security assurances in return for Tehran renouncing suspected efforts to develop a nuclear bomb.

The State Department reiterated Washington's support for efforts by its European allies to negotiate an end to Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions and said the ball was in Tehran's court.

"I think the issue is not what the US will or won't do. We've been over this ground before," deputy department spokesman Adam Ereli said."The issue is, what actions will Iran take or won't Iran take to meet the concerns of the international community, to answer the questions that have been posed to it and to bring itself into line with accepted international practice."


Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said today Washington would have to give Iran regional security assurances if the European-led nuclear talks were to succeed.

http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,12622754%255E1702,00.html

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