Iran is remaining defiant in the face of growing pressure from the UN security council. Fears initiated by the country's uranium enrichment have been inflamed by the recent infringement of the UN sanctions. Tehran insists that their project is for peaceful purposes, to gain nuclear power stations, however some western officials have raised concerns that the country is getting ever closer to gaining nuclear weapons.
The country has recently requested the removal of the UN Inspectors, accusing them of a breach of trust. However the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) probes have apparently been impeded by the government officials on the ground. There have been requests from senior diplomats for the removal of Chris Charlier. Last year the country demonstrated it's disapproval of the Iran section head by banning him from the nation. Before this, an inspector from Belgium had caused controversy by leaking secret documents to the media.
Such controversy is highly significant because of the status of the country, as a leading Islamic power. These increased tensions add to pre-exsisting problems for the organisation, which has been criticized for not presenting a united front in the face of increasing tensions in the Middle East.
The five permanent members and Germany are meeting today in London to dicuss possible routes for the UN to take following the disregard shown by Tehran. A source has said "the most probible course of action is that the countries will follow a harder line. Tollerance has not worked, and so it is up to them (the security council members) to display their resolution to peaceful causes".