Iran Says Not Worried.

A highly-placed APS source in Tehran says Iran has secured firm and official assurances from the governments of China and Russia that they will veto any UN Security Council resolution imposing sanctions against the country if it did not suspend indefinitely its enriching of uranium process - a most vital part of its nuclear programme. In the US, officials have hinted at the possibility of UN Security Council sanctions featuring a blockade of Iran which, if enforced, would halt Iranian exports and imports including oil (see News Service No. 17).

The day after the Nov. 2 US election, it was business as usual in Tehran as thousands marched to mark Day Against Global Arrogance, the 25th anniversary of the Nov. 4, 1979 seizure of the American embassy by radical students. At a rally outside the former US embassy building, the stars and stripes were burned as speakers vowed death to America and Israel. Most officials and commentators insisted Bush's re-election victory would have little or no bearing on Washington's policies towards Iran and the wider world.

"The yellow dog is the brother of the jackal", said Mehdi Kuchak Zadeh, a conservative MP. President Mohammad Khatami said there was "no difference" between Bush and Kerry, and that either would be forced to adopt "detente". But former vice-president Mohammad Ali Abtahi had said before the results in the US became known that it would be "better for the world if Mr Bush wins so that he can complete his unfinished work". Amir Mohebian, columnist with the conservative Resalat newspaper, had said the re-election of Bush would show that Americans "preferred security to being respected in the world". Mohebian had argued that a video-tape from Osama Bin Laden, broadcast on Oct. 29, had worked to Bush's advantage, and said: "Such radicals support and need each other. The world needs peace rather than war, but if Mr Bush continues with the same policies, the US will be isolated in the world, not just from Muslims". The US election came at a sensitive time in Iran's relations with the outside world. On Nov. 5-6, Iranian officials met counterparts from Germany, Britain and France in Paris to try and hammer out an agreement over Iran's nuclear programme. Washington has insisted that the next meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors, on Nov. 25, should refer Iran to the UN Security Council over what it alleges is a covert weapons programme.

The Europeans have offered Iran an incentive deal - including the transfer of technology, the supply of enriched uranium and a trade agreement - if it agrees to an IAEA request to suspend all aspects of its uranium enrichment programme. A new paper delivered to Tehran on Nov. 2 took forward Europe's existing position and a European diplomat later in the week was quoted as saying: "Suspension of [uranium] enrichment [by Iran] is a bridge to something else, so in that sense it's obviously limited in time". While Kerry welcomed the European engagement of Iran, the Bush administration was hostile to it.

Mohebian said he thought the outline of a deal was emerging in which Iran would agree to "suspension for some months". But he also quoted the Prophet Mohammad on the wisdom of "preparing for the worst if you want to maintain your dignity", saying: "We have made the decision that we will continue to enrich uranium, under international supervision, and it's possible that in defending our rights we will have to go to the Security Council".

The European troika, Germany, Britain and France, have been under pressure to insist on an indefinite, rather than temporary, suspension of Iran's enrichment process.