Iranian nuclear issue splits London and Washington

Published on 13/11/2003 00:00

BRITAIN yesterday broke ranks with the United States over the problem of Iran’s nuclear activities.

Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, said Britain’s analysis of a United Nations report into the country’s nuclear programme differed from that of the US.

He called for a calm response to the report, highlighting its assertion that Iran had co- operated with the United Nations in recent weeks, and said he wanted a quick and peaceful resolution to the problem.

"We should be reacting calmly to the latest report from the [UN] International Atomic Energy Agency," Mr Straw said. "There was quite a period of concealment by the Iranians of activities which they should have disclosed. I can’t say whether the co-operation has been complete, but it has certainly been substantial."

Russia, meanwhile, has agreed to delay shipping fuel to Iran for the Russian-built nuclear reactor at Bushehr from next spring to next summer.

Officials in Russia said the president, Vladimir Putin, was in absolute agreement with George Bush, the US president, but lower-ranked officials want to capitalise on the economic benefits of co-operating with Iran.