The United States’ decision to join the negotiating table with its European partners and Iran remains conditional on that country’s abandonment of its uranium enrichment programme, US Ambassador to Malta Molly Bordonaro said yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference, Ms Bordonaro reaffirmed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s statement on Wednesday, and added that the choice of a peaceful solution “is in Iran’s hands” and if it continued pursuing the path of non-dialogue, then it would have to face the consequences.

“We fully support a domestic nuclear programme for Iran but we continue to make it clear that uranium enrichment cannot be allowed as this may only lead to nuclear weapons. Iran is a signatory to conventions on nuclear weapons and it has to abide by these treaties.”

Ambassador Bordonaro said that this was a critical situation for the whole world as it would definitely have an effect on security if an undemocratic and rogue state acquired nuclear weapons.

Asked by The Malta Independent about the recent scandal regarding the killing of civilians by US soldiers in Iraq, Ms Bordonaro strongly reaffirmed President Bush’s condemnation of the incidents and said that she was “sickened” by the brutal nature of these killings. She said the vast majority of the military serve with honour and distinction, adding that the US will do all in its power to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Ms Bordonaro insisted that the offer for talks with Iran was not, in any way, linked to the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations, which have been frozen since 1979. Asked about the possibility of a solution similar to that with Libya, she said that Iran had a clear choice – to negotiate and give up its enrichment programme or face economic sanctions.

Questioned on the viability of economic sanctions, the ambassador said that in the past, these sanctions had been successful “in some cases”. When asked if the US was considering possible military action, she said that nothing was off the table but insisted that the US was all for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.