WASHINGTON, March 23 (UPI) -- The White House dismissed reports of a diplomatic rift with Russia and China over Iran's nuclear enrichment program.
Moscow and Beijing's opposition to a portion of a draft U.N. Security Council statement chastising Iran for violation of nuclear accords was merely part and parcel of international diplomacy, spokesman Scott McClellan said.
"This is diplomacy at work. Diplomacy takes time. We've seen this time and time again in the Security Council," he said.
The Security Council statement being worked on is designed to pressure Iran to come into compliance with international nuclear non-proliferation mandates and abandon it's nuclear enrichment activities, which the United States and Europe believe hide a weapons development effort.
Following collapse of negotiations between Tehran and three European states, the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency board reported Iran to the Security Council, which could impose sanctions.
Russia and China have strong energy business ties with Iran. They are opposed to sanctions and as permanent members of the Security Council hold veto power.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday criticized the draft statement, which Western states have offered to amend.
Russia has offered to enrich fuel for Tehran on Russian territory, and take back spent fuel rods, thereby giving Iran power for civilian purposes but preventing reprocessing for weapons-grade materials.
China said Wednesday it supports the proposal. The United States, Britain, France and Germany have indicated general approval but the sticking point has been Tehran's insistence of performing some fuel processing in Iran.
