The Washington Times: The Bush administration yesterday refused to back away from its demand that Iran be referred to the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program next month, even as European allies said they will offer Tehran a deal next week.

New York Times: The United States reached an informal agreement Friday to let Britain, France and Germany offer a deal to Iran next week in which Tehran would immediately suspend its nuclear fuel enrichment program in return for a discussion on future economic benefits and other incentives, European diplomats said.

Washington Post: The United States yesterday effectively and reluctantly agreed to allow three European nations to launch a final diplomatic initiative aimed at persuading Iran to accept a plan that would block it from developing a nuclear weapon,
U.S. and European officials said.

The Guardian: Senior US and European officials were locked
in last-ditch negotiations in Washington last night to defuse
the crisis over Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons programme.
Ahead of a crucial meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna next month, the EU troika of Britain, France and Germany has drawn up a package of sweeteners in the hope of persuading Tehran to abandon its advanced uranium enrichment programme.

Reuters: Iran might be willing to give up its uranium
enrichment capabilities but it wants many things in return — above all a guarantee that no one will try to topple the Islamic regime, diplomats and analysts say. North Korea has demanded similar security assurances from Washington, which listed both Tehran and Pyongyang as members of an “axis of evil,” in exchange for relinquishing its atom bomb program. Iran’s nuclear ambitions will be discussed at a meeting of senior officials from the Group of Eight (G8) industrial nations in Washington on Friday.