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U.S. Wants Iran Referred To Security Council
September 02, 2004
2 September 2004 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell says the United States will try to persuade the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency to refer Iran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions over Iran's nuclear program.
Powell told reporters in Washington that the United States wants the Security Council to impose economic, political, or diplomatic sanctions against Iran because of what the United States believes are steps Iran is taking toward developing nuclear weapons.
The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors is due open a meeting to discuss Iran on 13 September.
Powell was speaking yesterday after the UN agency circulated a report saying Iran plans to resume large-scale production of material to enrich uranium, a process that can help the development of nuclear weapons.
Iran says it nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
(AP/AFP)