Iran to face Security Council

Two days ahead of the crucial IAEA meeting to discuss Iran's controversial nuclear programme, key powers in a surprise move have agreed to refer the issue to the UN Security Council but decided to put off any action by the world body until March in a compromise with Russia and China who favoured giving more time to Tehran.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw announced the decision in London yesterday after a meeting of the five permanent Council members -- US, Russia, Britain, China and France-- plus Germany after talks with Iran earlier in the day failed to produce a breakthrough.

'India free to decide on referring Iran to UNSC'

Foreign ministers of the six powers met on Monday night to co-ordinate their position ahead of an emergency board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday. If the board agrees to refer it to the Security Council, Iran may face sanctions.

But Straw said the foreign ministers decided the Council would take no action until March, after it has received a formal report on Iran from the IAEA.

The timetable represents a compromise. While Europeans and the US wanted Iran to be referred to the Security Council as soon as possible, Russia and China argued for more time.

India welcomes Russian initiative on Iran

Iran is accused by US and EU of aiming to produce nuclear weapons but Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for civilian energy use only.

The foreign ministers' statement called for "an extensive period of confidence-building" by Tehran, following its recent decision to break IAEA seals on its nuclear facilities.

The IAEA's two-day emergency board meeting will start on Thursday in Vienna,

which will see the possible referral of Iran to the Security Council. On February 16, Russia and Iran will resume talks on Moscow's proposed compromise regarding the issue. The IAEA is to report on Iranian compliance in March.

Iran warns against UN referral

During last night's talks, Russia, a key trading partner of Iran, had resisted any immediate move for sanctions against Tehran.

As a result, Moscow won a concession, reflected in the joint statement that said the Security Council should "await the IAEA Director General's report to the March meeting of the IAEA board... before deciding to take action to reinforce the authority of the IAEA process."

US President George W Bush, previewing his State of the Union Address to be delivered today, said, "to the (Iranian) government, our message is that if you want to be a part of the family of nations, give up your nuclear weapons ambitions."

Iran's comparison of N-programme with India outrageous: US

He added: "We're united in our goal to keep the Iranians from having a weapon, and we're working on the tactics necessary to continue putting a united front out."

Iran had yesterday requested separate talks in Brussels in the hope of averting moves towards referral. But Javad Vaeedi, deputy head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said: "As far as we are concerned, it has been a positive outcome."

"To be frank, we didn't detect anything new in their approach," said John Sawers, a senior British diplomat at the talks.

Iran insists it should be allowed to develop its own nuclear technology, but other key powers do not want it to produce its own enriched uranium, which can be used in nuclear weapons as well as power plants.