UN / IRAN

Ambassador Susan Rice tells the Security Council that the US remains, "firmly committed" to a peaceful resolution to international concerns about Iran's nuclear programme and tells reporters that it welcomes China's support for, "the crucial goal" of not allowing Iran to obtain nuclear weapons capacity. UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:22
• Production Date: 4 March 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Subject Topical: POLITICAL AFFAIRS; LAW; INTERNATIONAL LAW; POLITICAL CONDITIONS; NUCLEAR SCIENCE
• Geographic Subject: IRAN
• MAMS Id: U100304c

Description

STORY: UN / IRAN
TRT: 2.22
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ CHINESE / NATS

DATELINE: 4 MARCH 2010, NEW YORK CITY/ FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1.Wide shot, exterior UN building

4 MARCH 2010, NEW YORK CITY

2.Wide shot, Security Council
3.Med shot, delegates
4.SOUNDBITE (English) Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“Unfortunately, since we last met on this issue, our concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme have only deepened. First, the IAEA Director General’s latest report once again concludes that Iran is not complying with its IAEA and Security Council’s obligations; obligations that are essential to building confidence in Iran’s assertions that its nuclear programme is for exclusively peaceful purposes.”
5.Med shot, delegates
6.SOUNDBITE (English) Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“The United States remains firmly committed to a peaceful resolution to international concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme. Over the past year and more the United States has reached to Iran in unprecedented ways, repeatedly demonstrating our commitment to work towards a diplomatic solution based on mutual respect, and yet Iran has yet to take steps to build confidence and honor the commitments that it has made.”
7.Med shot, delegates
8.SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Liu Zhennin, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations:
“We support that IAEA continues to play a role in order to find a proper solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. We also hope that Iran will strengthen its cooperation with IAEA and properly resolve relevant questions at an early date in order to remove the doubts that the international community has over its nuclear programme.”
9.Wide shot, Security Council
10. Wide shot, Rice approaches microphone
11. Zoom in, cameras
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“I think we heard something important today in the Council from China, and it comports to what we are hearing directly with China which is that they remain committed to the dual track strategy of the P5 + 1 and we continue to have constructive discussions with all of our partners in the P5 + 1 who agree that we share a goal, the crucial goal of not allowing Iran to obtain a nuclear weapons capacity.”
13. Med shot, Rice walks away from microphone

Storyline

United States Ambassador Susan Rice today (4 March) told the Security Council that “unfortunately” concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme “have only deepened” and noted that the latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) “once again concludes that Iran is not complying with its IAEA and Security Council’s obligations”.

After a briefing by Ambassador Yukio Takasu of Japan, head of the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against Iran, Rice said that the United States “remains firmly committed to a peaceful resolution” to this issue, while Iran “has yet to take steps to build confidence and honor the commitments that it has made.”

Takasu had informed the Council about two reports of violations of resolution 1747 of 2007, which bans arms exports from Iran. The committee has asked for explanations about arms-related materials from Iran that was found on board two ships, the Hansa India and the Francop.

Chinese Ambassador Liu Zhennin stressed the importance of the role of the IAEA and expressed hope that Iran will strengthen its cooperation with the Agency “in order to remove the doubts that the international community has over its nuclear programme.”

Outside the Council, Rice denied that the United States was currently circulating a draft agreement including tougher sanctions on Iran and told reporters that the United States welcomed China’s commitment to the dual track strategy of sanctions and diplomatic overtures.

She pointed out that the US will continue to have constructive discussions within the P5 + 1 group towards the “crucial goal of not allowing Iran to obtain a nuclear weapons capacity.”

The P5+1 composed of China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States put forward an agreement last October, on fuel for a civilian nuclear research site in Tehran in which Iranian low-enriched uranium would be shipped for further enrichment to Russia and then on to France to be fabricated into fuel.

Iran has said it needs more time to provide a response, while the other three parties to the talks – France, Russia and the United States – have all indicated their approval of the agreement.