EU3, China, Russia, US to meet on Iran: UK
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-13 15:46

Officials from Britain, France and Germany will meet counterparts from China, Russia and the United States in London next week to discuss how to deal with Iran's nuclear ambitions, a government spokesman said on Thursday.

Iranian technicians lift a barrel of 'yellow cake' to feed it into the processing line of Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) in Isfahan, about 261 miles south of Tehran, August 8, 2005. The foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany will call for Iran to be hauled before the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program when they meet in Berlin on Thursday, EU diplomats said. [Reuters]

Separately, Foreign Minister Jack Straw said he thought Iran would be referred to the U.N. Security Council due to its decision to restart sensitive nuclear work this week.

Asked by reporters whether Iran would be referred to the Security Council, Straw said:

"It is highly probable," adding the decision on whether to call an emergency board meeting of the UN's nuclear watchdog which could decide to make the referral was not Britain's alone.

Straw, leaving for a meeting with his French and German counterparts and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Berlin, also said he thought Russia was in a broadly similar position to Britain on Iran.

"Russia, too, has been extremely helpful. We've consulted with them very closely. It's for them to say what their position is, but I think you'll find they're in a very similar place to us," said Straw.