| Straw's got a real thing for Teheran, doesn't he? |
Iran is engaging in a characteristic display of diplomatic brinkmanship as it gives off mixed signals about a Russian compromise proposal ahead of Thursday's emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna.
Yesterday, Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary struck a conciliatory note by insisting that military action against Iran was "genuinely" not on the table, despite a growing groundswell of support for that option in America.
| as in, the President saying he did not rule it out |
Senator John McCain, a potential 2008 Republican presidential contender, said last night that it was important to maintain the "leverage" of the military option.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Straw said: "I have never had a discussion with any senior American from the very top downwards, except to say the military option is not on the table."
| tells you who he speaks with - and doesn't |
| good luck, Jack |
Yesterday, the head of Iran's hard-line Revolutionary Guards, General Yahya Rahim Safavi, warned on state television that they would retaliate with missiles if attacked.
At a meeting of Security Council foreign ministers in London tomorrow, Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, will insist that the time has come to refer Iran to the UN for further action after it removed the seals on centrifuges that can enrich uranium.
Mr Straw and the French will back the Americans, but China and Russia's approaches remain in doubt. Beijing last week urged further talks over Moscow's offer to enrich uranium on Iran's behalf at Russian plants - a deal supposed to allay fears that Teheran would use the material for nuclear weapons.
Ms Rice and Mr Straw will try to assuage Russian and Chinese concerns by insisting that referral to the Security Council is only the first step in ratcheting up the diplomatic pressure on Teheran, and will not automatically be followed by the imposition of sanctions.
Washington and London are confident that they can secure enough votes on the 35-member IAEA board to refer Iran to the Security Council, even if Russia and China abstain.
Iran, which claims its nuclear programme is for civilian energy purposes, last week expressed renewed interest in the Russian initiative, which it had previously rejected. Western officials are convinced that this is merely a delaying tactic.
"The Iranians are doing nothing but trying to throw up chaffÂ…and people shouldn't let them get away with it," said Ms Rice.
