World powers mull sanctions on Iran

The six world powers seeking to defuse the Iranian nuclear crisis have strengthened pressure on the Islamic state, agreeing to discuss sanctions and lamenting Iran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.

But foreign ministers from the five permanent United Nations Security Council members plus Germany insist the door remains open to negotiations if the Islamic republic backs down.

British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has expressed disappointment in Iran's stubbornness.

"We're deeply disappointed that ... Iran is not prepared to suspend its enrichment-related and reprocessing activities as required by the IAEA board and made mandatory in [UN] Security Council resolution 1696," she said.

"Accordingly we will now consult on measures under article 41 of chapter 7 of the UN charter as envisaged in that resolution."

Article 41 allows the United Nations Security Council to impose diplomatic and economic sanctions on member nations to enforce compliance with its resolutions.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy says, "We decided in unison to work together in the coming days" on "sanctions which are proportionate and reversible".

"The door to dialogue will remain open."

'Two paths'

Ms Beckett noteds the international community had told Iran in Vienna, at a crunch meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), there are two paths ahead in the stand-off.

"We regret that Iran has not yet taken the positive one [but] we will continue our efforts to find a negotiated solution and our proposals of the first of June remain on the table," she said.

European Union foreign policy head Javier Solana has held a series of talks with Iranian negotiators in recent months, but pressure for an accord intensified after Iran failed to meet a UN deadline by August 31.

Mr Solana acknowledged ahead of the meeting diplomacy may have run its course.

"It is up to the six countries to decide whether the time has come to follow the second track --referring the case to the Security Council," he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, whose country has been cautious about US-led calls for sanctions on Iran, has reiterated the stand-off still could be resolved through negotiations.

"All the measures that could be considered should be aimed exclusively at pushing Iran back to the negotiating table - that is the only way," Mr Lavrov said.

The United States and Britain are now leading moves to draft a resolution calling on the UN Security Council to impose sanctions which could go before the world body as early as next week.

A spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair underlined the need for a united front over the crisis.

"What we know works is when we work together with our international partners," he said.

- AFP