U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today she is confident that the council could come to an agreement. Speaking during a trip to the Bahamas, Rice said she is not concerned about the current deadlock.
As Rice spoke, the five veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- met in New York but reported no progress in formulating a council statement.
Diplomats say Russia and China have expressed their desire that any UN statement against Iran should be mild.
U.S. President George W. Bush said in a speech today that Iran should never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. Tehran says its program is for peaceful purposes.
(compiled from agency reports).