China calls for restraint amidst Iran’s missile tests and revelations of second uranium enrichment plant; US terms missile tests as “provocative”; Iran’s Foreign Minister visits Washington ahead of Vienna talks
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    • TChina has called for restraint after it was confirmed that Iran was building a second uranium enrichment plant near Qom, without informing the IAEA. TForeign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu hoped that “relevant countries can do more things that are conducive to relaxing the situation and positively resolving it rather than to the contrary.” After US President Obama revealed Iran’s building activities, Tehran confirmed to IAEA on September 21 that it was building a second uranium enrichment plant near Qom. Tehran had also test-fired surface-to-surface Sejil and Shahab-3 missiles with ranges of over 2,000 kms, thus placing Israel, most Arab states and parts of Europe within range. The United States has demanded full access to Tehran’s newly-revealed uranium plant and denounced the missile tests as “provocative1.”

    Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki visited Washington on October 1 even as the US and HIranH prepared for critical talks over Tehran’s nuclear program. Mottaki’s visit was the first such visit by an Iranian Foreign Minister in more than a decade. Analysts noted that the visit was an indication of the policy of engagement currently being pursued by the Obama administration2.

    TAfter talks in Tehran on October 3, IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei announced that his organization will inspect Iran’s new uranium enrichment plant on October 25 and praised Teheran’s shift “from conspiracy to cooperation.” He however warned that “concerns” remained over its nuclear aims. President TAhmadinejad on his part insisted that because of “good cooperation” between Iran and the IAEA, there were no ambiguous issue left between Iran and the agency3.

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