Meal in Manhattan seen as attempt to placate security council members over Iran's nuclear programme
Ed Pilkington in New York
Dinner parties are not normally considered the diplomatic medium of choice of the Islamic Republic of Iran. But last night the regime's swanky ambassadorial residence on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue became the focal point of the ongoing crisis over Tehran's nuclear programme.
In a move described by UN observers as very unusual, Iran decided to hold a dinner for all 15 members of the UN security council. It marked the highest level of encounters between Iranian and US officials in recent years and was being seen by western diplomats as the latest in a series of moves by Tehran to put its case to the world before any further sanctions over its nuclear enrichment.
The event was hosted by the foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki. Of the five permanent members of the UN security council only China sent its ambassador, the rest being represented by lower-level officials.
The US sent its deputy ambassador to the UN, Alejandro Wolff, while David Quarrey, a political co-ordinator ranked number three in the mission, represented the UK. Mexico, Gabon and Nigeria did not turn up at all, but there was no suggestion of any political snub due to their absence.
The Obama administration, backed by the UK, France and Germany which is also party to the negotiations, has been trying in recent weeks to put together a new package of sanctions that would hurt the Iranian regime should it continue to thumb its nose at international calls for it to suspend its programme of 20% uranium enrichment. Russia and China are ambivalent about the idea.
Diplomats made clear there was no open discussion of sanctions at the dinner.
A US official told Reuters: "This meeting is another indication of the lengths the Iranians are going to to make their case. They clearly recognise that the ongoing efforts in the security council and elsewhere are isolating them and doing them harm." Mottaki presented his guests with Iranian ideas about how to get the derailed deal known as the Tehran Research Reactor back on track. The deal, put forward by France, Russia and the International Atomic Energy Agency, would have provided Iran with enriched fuel rods for its nuclear energy plants in return for Tehran handing over some of its enriched uranium, which observers fear could be used to build a nuclear bomb.
Iran denies that it has any nuclear weapons ambitions and says it is focused purely on energy. Earlier this week the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, flew to New York to address the month-long international conference on nuclear weapons, accusing the US of threatening his country with its own nuclear arsenal.
The Guardian
