Iran said today that only diplomacy, not threats to refer it to the UN Security Council, could defuse a standoff over its nuclear work and warned that any Western push for sanctions could jack up world oil prices.
The Security Council's five permanent members and Germany planned talks in London tomorrow on a common strategy to tackle Iran's resumption of atomic research after a two-year moratorium.
Iran says it aims only to make power for an energy-needy economy, not build atom bombs. But it hid nuclear work from the UN nuclear watchdog agency for almost 20 years before exiled dissidents exposed it in 2002.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi
Last week Tehran scrapped its suspension of research, prompting a diplomatic scramble. Iran's "red line" step in Western eyes was removing IAEA seals to reaccess equipment that purifies uranium, key component in nuclear power or, if enriched to a higher level, in weaponry.
"Diplomacy is the only clear answer to the current situation," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference today. "There is no legal basis for referring Iran to the Security Council. But if that were to happen Iran is not afraid."
Iranian Economy Minister Davoud Danesh-Jafari struck at the weakness of Western talk of punishing Iran over its nuclear programme by saying any sanctions could hurt the sponsors.
"Any possible sanctions on Iran ... could possibly, by disturbing Iran's political and economic situation, raise oil prices beyond levels the West expects," he told state radio.
Iran is the world's fourth largest exporter of crude oil. Many EU, Russian, Chinese and developing world companies also conduct lucrative energy-related trade with the Islamic republic, suggesting economic sanctions will be anything but inevitable if the Security Council takes up Iran's case.
Mr Asefi called on big powers attending the London meeting - the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany - to refrain from "the language of intimidation and threats".
"Better results will definitely be achieved by resorting to negotiations and using respectful language," he said.