Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government's position on the proposal that would allow Iran to operate a uranium conversion facility permanently if Tehran renounces the ability to enrich uranium on its own territory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39184/05]

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 72: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the findings in the IAEA's 18 November 2005 report which concluded that Iran was non-compliant with agency safeguard agreements agreed upon in September 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39185/05]

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of IAEA environmental testing in Iran and its effectiveness in monitoring nuclear development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39186/05]

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the latest discussions which have taken place between Iran, Britain, Germany and France with regard to nuclear capability developments in Iran; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39170/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 72, 84 and 87 together.

Negotiations between the EU3 and Iran are currently suspended following Iran's decision of 8 August 2005 to recommence conversion of uranium at its Isfahan facility. This action was in breach of the Paris agreement signed by Iran and the EU3 — France, Germany and the United Kingdom — in November 2004. Under this agreement, Iran, inter alia, reaffirmed that it did not and would not seek to acquire nuclear weapons and committed itself to full transparency and co-operation with the IAEA. Iran, moreover, decided voluntarily to suspend all enrichment and reprocessing activities and to invite the IAEA to verify and to monitor the suspension. In return, the EU3 agreed to commence negotiations with a view to reaching a mutually acceptable agreement on long-term arrangements in the areas of political and security issues, technology and co-operation and nuclear issues.

At the board of governors meeting at the IAEA last September the EU3 co-sponsored a resolution that found Iran to be non-compliant with the agency's statute. The board has now the option to refer Iran to the UN Security Council at a future date. To avoid such referral, Iran has been urged, inter alia, to re-establish full and sustained suspension of uranium conversion and to implement transparency measures, including provision of documentation relating to its nuclear programme and providing IAEA inspectors with access to facilities. The resolution also requested the director general of the IAEA to continue his efforts to implement the resolution and previous resolutions and to report back to the board of governors on developments.

Ireland is not currently a member of the board of governors but fully supports the resolution that was adopted and hopes that Iran will take the necessary steps to comply fully with its provisions.

The director general reported again to the board last month indicating that issues in respect of the scope and chronology of Iran's centrifuge programmes remain to be resolved. He said that the agency was reviewing new information supplied by Iran and was awaiting supporting documentation. In noting that Iran's full transparency is indispensable and overdue, the director general sought permission from Iran to undertake additional visits to specified sites and to take environmental samples from these locations. The analysis of environmental samples is an important part of the agency's investigations to verify information supplied by Iran on aspects of its nuclear programme. As the sampling and analysis processes are ongoing, the agency is not yet in a position to draw any definitive conclusions.

One new element which has emerged in recent weeks is a Russian idea that all uranium enrichment in respect of lran's nuclear programme be carried out in Russia and to a lower than weapons grade standard. This is an interesting and potentially fruitful concept. So far Iran has given no signal that such an idea would be acceptable and, indeed, some Iranian spokesmen have continued to insist that enrichment must be carried out in Iran. We understand, however, that these ideas are still being explored. We welcome all efforts to find a diplomatic solution and believe that Russia is playing a helpful and constructive role in this regard.

The General Affairs and External Relations Council continues to keep the matter under regular review. At its meeting on 7 November, the Council reiterated its grave concern at Iran's resumption of activity at the uranium conversion facility in Isfahan and urged Iran to implement all measures requested by the IAEA board of governors in its resolution on 24 September, including reinstating a full suspension of all fuel cycle activities. The Council underlined the EU's continued support for a diplomatic solution to international concerns over Iran's nuclear programme and agreed to keep the EU's approach to Iran under close review in light of progress on the nuclear file and other issues of concern.