By Hooshang Amirahmadi

The UN Security Council has through three sanctioning resolutions (1696, 1737, 1747) demanded that Iran temporarily halt its uranium enrichment operations to allow for the resumption of negotiations with its five permanent members (the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China) and Germany (the so-called 5+1 group).  The Council has also agreed to a "suspension for suspension" formula by means of which Iran's suspension, as a precondition, will be followed by the suspension of the UN resolutions. Iran has until May 24, 2007 to comply with the latest resolution adopted on March 24.