West to pursue twin track in Iran dispute

Geneva: Western powers will continue a twin track policy of sanctions and diplomacy towards Iran over its nuclear programme, the EU's top diplomat said on Wednesday, despite Tehran's warnings it could backfire.

Britain told Iran it will suffer growing economic and political isolation if it makes the "wrong choice" and fails to comply with UN demands on curbing sensitive atomic activities.

But Tehran remained defiant in the long-running standoff over nuclear work it says is designed to generate electricity but which the West fears is aimed at making bombs.

Its deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying the world's fourth-largest oil producer would withdraw assets from Europe in the face of tightening sanctions against the country.

Tehran said on Tuesday that new punitive measures imposed on it this week by the 27-nation European Union over its nuclear plans could damage diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana handed Iran an offer on June 14 of trade and other benefits proposed by the United States, Russia, China, Britain, Germany and France in a new bid to end a row that has helped push oil prices to record highs.

Solana told Reuters yesterday Iran had still not replied to the incentives offer aimed at coaxing it into halting uranium enrichment, which can have both civilian and military uses, but hoped for an answer soon.

"That is what we were told, that they would think about it and they would give us an answer soon," Solana said in Geneva.

"In the meantime, we will keep the double track open," he said, referring to carrot-and-stick diplomacy towards Tehran.

"We want to have a solution which is diplomatically negotiated."

'Done deal': Tehran's strong warning

Iran's parliament speaker has threatened that the West may face "a done deal" if it provokes Iran, a stern hint that Tehran could build nuclear weapons if attacked. The speaker, Ali Larijani, who was once Iran's top nuclear negotiator, says the West should take seriously a recent warning by Mohammad Al Baradei, the UN nuclear watchdog chief. Al Baradei said last week that a military strike on Iran could turn the Mideast into a "ball of fire" and push Iran to develop a weapon.

In an open session of parliament, Larijani warned the West yesterday not to provoke Iran "or you will face a done deal that will block the path of your return to a compromise with Iran."

The phrase he used in Persian, 'kar-e anjam shodeh,' means literally 'an accomplished act' or 'fait accompli.'