India Tuesday kept its options open with regard to Iran's nuclear issue to be taken up at the International Atomic Energy agency meeting two days later, even as the key powers decided to refer the matter to the UN Security Council but agreed to put off any action by the world body until March.
Sources in the government said New Delhi had so far not firmed up its stance and it would depend on the draft resolution to be tabled at the IAEA meeting in Vienna on Thursday. "The draft resolution is still being worked out. We will base our decision on its wording," sources told PTI. "We have taken note of the P-5 (Permanent members of the Security Council) decision and are watching other related developments," they said. India has maintained that the matter should be resolved amicably through consensus, preferably within the ambit of IAEA.
Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee earlier told reporters that "We are reviewing the situation and come out with our stand at appropriate time."
Responding to questions, he said there were still 48 hours for the IAEA to take up the issue. Foreign ministers of five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- US, UK, China, France and Russia -- and Germany unanimously decided in London Monday to refer Iran's nuclear issue to the council. They, however, decided against taking any action against Tehran until March in a compromise with Russia and China who favoured giving more time to Iran.
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