AP: U.S. and Russian officials worked over the weekend on how best to oppose Iran’s nuclear program as the Bush administration’s efforts for U.N. action against Tehran have bogged down. Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. and Russian officials worked over the weekend on how best to oppose Iran’s nuclear program as the Bush administration’s efforts for U.N. action against Tehran have bogged down.
“The Iranians are defying the world’s will, and the international community needs to speak and speak with one voice,” Rice told “Fox News Sunday.” “There are some tactical issues about how best to express that.”
Tehran has been referred to the Security Council over fears it may want to use its nuclear program to produce weapons.
The council has been at loggerheads over U.S.-led efforts to ratchet up the pressure on Iran. The United States, Britain and France support tough language calling on Tehran to return to a freeze of uranium enrichment. Russia and China, the two other permanent Security Council members, are opposed.
“We have the same views of the problem. The Russians do not want a nuclear weapon in Iraq either,” Rice said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “It’s been very clear in everything that they’ve tried to do.”
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Sunday that Iran would stand firm against any action taken to pressure it to abandon its nuclear program, Iran’s state-run television reported.
Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful energy purposes.
Also Sunday, Rice said the U.S. ambassador in Afghanistan, Ronald Neumann, had met with Iran’s ambassador there several months ago to addressed security issues.
“We will see when it is desirable to do so again,” Rice said on CNN’s Late Edition.
