U.S.: UN to withhold action on Iran until EU-Iran meeting

    UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council will wait to take action on possible Iranian sanctions until a scheduled meeting next week between EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Tehran's main negotiator Ali Larijani, the U.S. ambassador to the UN said Thursday. Full story>>

Annan: int'l efforts underway for Iran's nuclear issue

    AMMAN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Visiting UN chief Kofi Annan said here on Thursday that international efforts were underway to arrange a meeting between Iran and the six nations over Iran's controversial nuclear programme.

    Annan made the remarks during a news conference in Amman on theday a UN Security Council deadline expires for Tehran to halt sensitive nuclear work. Full story>>

    EU postpones judgment on Iran's response to nuclear offer

    BRUSSELS, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) has postponed its response to Iran's reaction to an international nuclear offer.  EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said last Friday that he would respond to Iran's position by the end of August. Full story>> 

    Bush warns Iran of "consequences" for UN defiance

    WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (Xinhua)-- U.S. President George W. Bush said on Thursday that "there must be consequences" for Iran to refuse to stop uranium enrichment.

    Addressing the annual American Legion convention in Salt Lake City, Bush said Iran has responded with defiance and delay to demands to stop enriching uranium. Full story>>

    Iran says IAEA report indicates U.S. propaganda baseless

    TEHRAN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The vice president of Iran's atomic energy organization said on Thursday that a new report of the IAEA on Iran's nuclear issue had proved the fact that the U.S. propaganda against Iran was baseless, the Mehr news agency reported.

    "Although the report does not meet our expectations, it shows the U.S. propaganda against the Islamic Republic's peaceful nuclear program is completely baseless," Mohammad Saeedi told the news agency shortly after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohammed ElBaradei released a report on Iran's nuclear program. Full story>>

    U.S. drafting sanctions on Iran: report

    WASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Xinhua)-- The United States and its European allies are assembling a list of sanctions against Iran over its defiance of a deadline to halt production of nuclear fuel, the New York Times reported on Thursday.

    The proposed sanctions will begin with restrictions on imports of nuclear-related equipment and material. Eventually, punitive measures might expand to restrict travel by Iran's leaders and limit the country's access to global financial markets, the newspaper said. Full story>>