. . .

QUESTION: So Iran has told the IAEA that it's going to resume research and development on uranium. Is this of concern to the United States?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, we understand that the Iranians informed the IAEA that they intended to resume on January 9th nuclear research and development activities that it had previously suspended. Now, they weren't clear as to what exactly that meant, so the IAEA is seeking clarification from Iran regarding the letter and what exactly they meant by these research activities.

Now, certainly, we strongly oppose Iran proceeding with any further enrichment-related activities. They began resumption of uranium conversion activities this past August, which was in contravention of the November 2004 Paris agreement that they reached with the EU-3 in which they pledged to suspend all enrichment and conversion activities.

Our view is that if Iran takes any further enrichment-related steps, the international community will have to consider additional measures to constrain Iran's nuclear ambitions. And I think that Iran should listen very carefully to the international community. It finds itself increasingly isolated on this issue. Witness the actions the Board of Governors took this past fall at their meeting.

And our view is that we support the efforts of the EU-3. We support the efforts of Russia to engage with the Iranians to get them back into negotiations. The Russians have put on the table a proposal in which there would be joint enrichment activities on Russian soil, but the Iranians would have the benefit of that enriched material for use in peaceful nuclear reactors. That's, we think, a very interesting proposal. We think that it is a good faith proposal, but thus far the Iranians have really done sort of a bob and weave on this issue, seeking to extend out discussions, not really commit to whether or not they're going to negotiate in a serious manner.

And frankly, the patience of the international community is not infinite on this issue because it's a serious issue. Iran is trying to pursue nuclear weapons under the cover of a peaceful nuclear program. We don't think that that should be allowed to happen and I think you won't find any disagreement on the fact that Iran's obtaining a nuclear weapon would be destabilizing, destabilizing to the region and destabilizing to the world.

QUESTION: You're putting a red line out there. You don't want Iran to take any further enrichment-related activities, you said. The research and development might not --

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, the term "red line" is yours. I am not --

QUESTION: Okay. But aren't you saying, look, if they do this, then we want the international community --

MR. MCCORMACK: We think that if they do take further enrichment-related steps, then the international community should consider additional measures to constrain Iran's activities in this regard.

QUESTION: And I just want to be clear what the further enrichment-related activities might be. In research and development, you can build centrifuges which might not necessarily be --

MR. MCCORMACK: That's an enrichment-related activity.

QUESTION: It is for you guys?

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah. That is. Yes.

Yes.

QUESTION: And just to follow on this also, is pure research in this field, is that considered --

MR. MCCORMACK: We don't think that there's -- again, this gets to the issue of their motivations and the fact that Iran has over the years sought to conceal what it is really doing with its nuclear program has really broken down any sort of trust that might have existed between Iran, its nuclear program and the international community. So frankly, Iran, through its actions, through its statements, through its evasiveness and its failure to fully cooperate with the IAEA to this point, has really -- has really eliminated any sort of trust that might have existed on this issue. So in terms of trying to draw a line around something being pure research with respect to enrichment activities, it's not something that we're going to buy, and I don't think the international community will either.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Could you be more specific on what steps do you think the international community should take? Does this mean going immediately to the Security Council? What does it mean?

MR. MCCORMACK: At this point I'm not going to prejudge what those might be. We are working very closely with our colleagues in the EU-3. We're in contact with the Russian Government as well as others on this issue. Our view is that, given Iran's past behavior, that this issue will eventually end up in the Security Council. We've said that for some time. But we are working in good faith and in full support of the EU-3 as well as other diplomatic efforts to resolve this issue.

QUESTION: And are you optimistic that you'll get the support of India again on this issue?

MR. MCCORMACK: Again, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. We have been talking to the Indian Government about this issue. And I think that their vote this past fall in the Board of Governors in finding Iran noncompliance with its NPT, Nonproliferation Treaty, obligations is a signal of how seriously they view the issue of Iran pursuing nuclear weapons under the cover of a peaceful program.

QUESTION: So who have you spoken to today about this?

MR. MCCORMACK: I don't have an update for you. We have been -- we have had a number of international contacts on this. But primarily we've been working with the EU-3, the Russian Government. We have been in contact as well -- Under Secretary Burns as well as Under Secretary Joseph have both been working this issue on the international front.

QUESTION: Do you need any clarification of what Iran said it will do? I'm asking because with the provisos you're laying down, they can't do any further enrichment-related activities, it suggests -- I think I'm interpreting that they can't do any research and development without you thinking the international community should then consider further measures? Is that right?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, as I was talking to Peter about, in trying to draw these distinctions between what they might describe as R&D, research and development, and what is actually intended to be activities that further their nuclear weapons program, I don't think is a line that we would draw. I think they're one and the same.

We -- you know, Iran is a country that is rich in hydrocarbons, both in gas reserves and oil reserves. And you know, why they believe they need a civilian nuclear power-generating capacity is frankly inexplicable. They've said they need it. We, working with the EU-3 and the Russians, have put -- the Russians have put an offer on the table that would address their concerns about access to fuel for civilian nuclear power plants. The Russians have also put in place provisos with their agreement -- in their agreement with Iran concerning the Bushehr reactor, which is intended to produce civilian nuclear energy, a fuel take-back provision.

So again, the international community has gone more than the extra mile in trying to address Iran's concerns with regard to access to nuclear fuel. And frankly, the Iranians have pocketed those -- pocketed those proposals and they haven't offered anything in response. What they've offered in response is to break the agreements that they've made.

QUESTION: What are the mechanisms for the international community considering additional measures? There's no Board of Governors meeting until March.

MR. MCCORMACK: There's -- I'm not sure when the next one is. It'll probably be February-March. There are certainly provisions for calling extraordinary Board of Governors meetings. I'm not going to presuppose that that is -- that might happen, but that is a mechanism that's available.

Let's move back and I'll come back. Yes.

QUESTION: Same subject. Do you believe that Iranian Government may be playing game to buy the time to pursue its nuclear activity, nuclear --

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, I think that -- I think that they are certainly not engaging in good faith negotiations, as the rest of the world would have them do, and send a clear message that they should do. So what exactly the motivations are of the Iranian Government at this point, I can't describe for you. I think that the fact that they have tried to stretch out these negotiations over a long period of time, walked back from previous commitments and then say that they want to have talks about having talks, it's not an indication that they're serious at this point in engaging with the international community on this issue.

. . .