 The head of the UN nuclear watchdog welcomed on Thursday moves to avert possible UN sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear programme and appealed for compromise as Iran's president said he was ready to talk.
| I like this guy a litle less every time he opens his mouth. |
Mohammad ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said he was pleased the UN Security Council was holding off from sanctions against Iran as Europeans work on a package of benefits to induce Tehran to cooperate. "I'm very optimistic. I hope both sides will move away from the war of words, I hope the pitch will go down, I hope people will adopt a cool-headed approach," he told a news conference at Amsterdam airport. "We need compromises from both sides."
| Both sides have been yakking for three years now, with no resolution, culminating in nothing but truculence from the Medes and the Persians. My guess is that a fourth years of passing gas will result in the same thing, only a little more truculent. |
"I hope that at this stage we will use more carrots before we think of using sticks," he said. "It is a very good idea that the Security Council is holding its horses."
| It's been all carrots so far, with the Euros leading the effort. |
Washington and its European allies have been seeking a UN Security Council resolution that would oblige Iran to halt all uranium enrichment work or face possible sanctions. But Russia and China have resisted the move
| Very predictably, we might add... |
and Washington agreed this week to let the Europeans first devise a package of benefits for Iran in return for cooperating, putting back a decision on a possible resolution for about two weeks. |