Condemning Iran's decision to restart nuclear enrichment related activities, the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, said: "We are profoundly concerned that Iran has decided to restart research and development activities related to uranium enrichment. This amounts to yet another breach of IAEA Board resolutions, as well as the Paris Agreement that Iran signed with the UK, France and Germany in November 2004."

"There was no good reason why Iran should have taken this step if its intentions are truly peaceful and it wanted to resolve longstanding international concerns. For over two years the UK, France and Germany, with support from the IAEA Board, have tried hard to resolve this issue through patient diplomacy."

"I will be in close touch with my French and German colleagues, along with Javier Solana, in the coming days to discuss this. We will also be talking to other EU colleagues, international partners and Dr El Baradei over the next few days."