VIENNA, June 12: The United States is trying to keep non-aligned states at the UN atomic agency from issuing a statement backing Iran’s claims that it has a right to uranium enrichment, diplomats told AFP on Monday.

“People will be watching the NAM statement to see how positive or negative they are,” said a European diplomat, who stressed the delicacy of current diplomacy, with world powers offering Iran a package of benefits if it suspends uranium enrichment that has raised fears that it is seeking nuclear weapons.

A Non-Aligned Movement diplomat said that “all the NAM is doing is repeating the statement made in Kuala Lumpur” on May 30, a week before the United States and five other world powers produced their offer to Tehran in order to cool an escalating standoff.

“The Americans are not happy with that statement and told that to the NAM members” on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation board, the diplomat said.

The diplomat said the United States would like the NAM, which has some 16 member states on the IAEA board, to repeat an IAEA resolution that has called on Iran to suspend uranium enrichment.—AFP