US News
Iran delay on Security Council \'worth it,\' Rice says
By DPA
May 10, 2006, 19:00 GMT

Washington - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday that delaying Security Council action on Iran was aimed at keeping UN powers united in confronting Tehran over its nuclear activities.

\'We felt that two weeks to continue to try to work for Council unity was well worth it,\' Rice said after meeting with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

The five permanent members of the Security Council - the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France - agreed during meetings in New York on Monday and Tuesday to delay a resolution.

Instead Britain, France and Germany, which have led negotiations with Iran in the last three years, will present Iran with clear options that include incentives for coming clean on its nuclear activities or possible penalties if it does not comply with international demands.

The United States and its allies are concerned that Iran is using a civilian nuclear programme to hide ambitions to build atomic weapons. Iran says the programme is purely for generating electricity.