DAR AL HARB/ISLAM-THE WEST/IRAN: EL BARADEI, I.A.E.A CHIEF, MOSLEM & RELATED TO THE AYATOLLAHS, SAYS TO JUST LET IRAN ENRICH IN A LIMITED FASHION

Iran should continue limited enrichment, atomic watchdog says

The United States and some European allies plan to complain to the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog about his proposal that Iran be permitted to continue some nuclear enrichment activities, a U.S. official said Tuesday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said envoys from the United States and from France, Germany and Britain - the so-called EU3 - were expected to meet with International Atomic Energy Agency chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, this week and tell him their concern as major powers seek to persuade Tehran to end its program to enrich uranium.

ElBaradei has occasionally irked U.S. leaders, but his recent comments rankled both U.S. and European officials because they were interpreted as siding with Tehran at a critical time.

He said IAEA inspectors had concluded that Iran is starting to enrich uranium on a much larger scale after solving technical problems.

"We believe they pretty much have the knowledge about how to enrich," ElBaradei was reported as saying in The New York Times. "From now, it's simply a question of perfecting that knowledge. People will not like to hear it, but that's a fact."

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US to protest UN Iran comments

THE US is ready to protest directly to UN nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei over his comments that Iran should be allowed to keep some uranium enrichment, diplomats said today.

"They have decided to do so. It will maybe be before the report comes out" tomorrow, a diplomat said, referring to an ElBaradei report on Iran's nuclear activities.

A second diplomat said US ambassador Gregory Schulte is expected, possibly along with ambassadors from US allies, "to speak to Mr ElBaradei and complain".

Mr Schulte's spokesman refused to comment.

The United States leads Western nations in insisting that Iran freeze all enrichment work in order to start talks on trade, security and technology benefits for Tehran in return for guarantees it will not seek nuclear weapons.

Iran is defying demands and sanctions from the UN security council for it to suspend uranium enrichment, which the West fears could be used to develop nuclear weapons.

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U.S., allies to complain to ElBaradei on Iran

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and some European allies plan to complain to the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog about his proposal for Iran to retain some nuclear enrichment activities, a U.S. official said on Tuesday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that envoys from the United States and from France, Germany and Britain -- the so-called EU3 -- were expected to visit International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohammed ElBaradei this week and tell him their concern as major powers seek to persuade Tehran to end uranium enrichment.

The countries' ambassadors to the IAEA plan to give a "demarche," or formal private complaint, that the agency chief's comments "were not helpful," the official said.

ElBaradei has occasionally irked U.S. leaders but his recent comments, including in the New York Times, rankled both American and European officials because they were interpreted as siding with Tehran at a critical time.

He said IAEA inspectors had concluded that Iran is starting to enrich uranium on a much larger scale after solving technical problems.

"We believe they pretty much have the knowledge about how to enrich," the newspaper quoted ElBaradei as saying. "From now, it's simply a question of perfecting that knowledge. People will not like to hear it, but that's a fact."

ElBaradei used that conclusion to argue for a negotiated solution that would allow Iran to retain a limited enrichment program, diplomats said.

"I believe that demand (for enrichment suspension) has been superseded by events," ElBaradei was quoted by the Spanish daily ABC as saying in an interview carried online.

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Pertinent Links:

1) Iran should continue limited enrichment, atomic watchdog says

2) US to protest UN Iran comments

3) U.S., allies to complain to ElBaradei on Iran