WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- A disagreement between the United States and Europe over the best disarmament policy for Iran is worsening, the New York Times said Monday.
Last month, envoys from Britain, France and Germany gained Iran's agreement to temporarily suspend a vital part of its nuclear program. But European diplomats told the newspaper to gain a permanent cessation, the Bush administration must participate in talks with Iran and signal a willingness to be a part of an eventual final accord involving economic incentives and a discussion of security guarantees for Iran.
A senior U.S. administration official said there was also no confidence within the administration in the ability of the International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor Iran's compliance even with the accord hammered out by the Europeans.
European diplomats said while their deal with Iran is flawed, it represents the best hope for reaching an accord accepted by the rest of the world, particularly Russia and China, two countries with economic ties to Iran.
