Iran's Decision

The Iranian regime has made the decision to defy an historic moment of opportunity to make a peaceful, positive choice and resume constructive diplomatic dialogue on its nuclear program.  We are sorely disappointed that Iran appears to have rejected this opportunity to make a responsible choice in the best interests of its own people and the community of nations.

The international community came together to give Iran the opportunity to make a genuine commitment to suspend all enrichment-related reprocessing activities and fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).  The positive choice would have led to:

• Many political and economic benefits for the Iranian people, and greater  security for the Iranian people, the region and the world.
• Negotiations that would allow Iran to pursue peaceful nuclear energy for the Iranian people and offered progressively greater economic cooperation with the rest of the world.
• The United States joining with our international partners in direct talks with Iran.  The United States offer to participate in direct talks underscored the U.S. commitment to a diplomatic solution and represented strong leadership for diplomacy by the United States.  It removed Iran's last excuse.

Instead, the Iranian regime has made the negative choice to continue on its current and costly path, including increasing international isolation.  The P5+1 (China, France, Germany, Russia, the United States and the UK, with the support of the EU) and the rest of the international community agree that Iran cannot be allowed to develop and possess nuclear weapons.  The community of nations agrees that a nuclear-armed Iran would be a tremendously destabilizing event in the Middle East and the world.  We are working diplomatically to make sure that does not happen.

The IAEA Director General's report formally confirms that Iran has not complied with UNSCR 1696 by the August 31 deadline.  This triggers the start of sanctions discussions at the United Nations, specifically measures under Article 41 of Chapter VII of the UN Charter governing economic and diplomatic sanctions, as specified in the resolution.  The regime in Tehran must understand that its defiance of the international community will have consequences.