Restrictions on trade and arms for Iran were likely to be considered by the five permanent U.N. Security Council members and Germany, as the world powers on Monday sought new ways to pressure the country to suspend parts of its nuclear program. Senior representatives of the six nations were in London to discuss how to respond to Iran’s failure to respect a U.N. deadline to halt its uranium enrichment work. The U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, confirmed Thursday that Iran had ignored a Security Council ultimatum to freeze enrichment - a possible pathway to nuclear arms - and had instead expanded its program. A senior British diplomat attending Monday’s meeting at the Foreign Office said the representatives would examine options for further sanctions, including whittling away at export credits made available to companies that trade with Iran. Restrictions on arms exports to Iran also are likely to be discussed, said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said any futher actions would likely be incremental: ”This is designed to proportionally increase pressure on Tehran.” McCormack said limited economic sanctions against Iran implemented in December had produced surprising results. ”It started a very public discussion in Iran about the wisdom of their current course of defying the international system,” he said.
After the meeting, the diplomats will return to their home capitals to report on their discussions. The U.S. and its European allies have been urging Iran to halt enrichment and re-enter negotiations meant to ease concerns that the country could be intending to use its civilian nuclear power program as a cover to produce weapons. Iran insists its only interest in the technology is for the production of fuel for nuclear power plants.