Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday rejected the congressional testimony of the top U.S. officials in Iraq accusing Iran of interfering in its war-torn neighbor.
The United States plans to hold a meeting on Sept. 21 to discuss what sanctions might be included in a new United Nations Security Council resolution to punish Iran over its nuclear programs.
Iran wants "peace and friendship for all," the country's president said Wednesday while again denying Western assertions his nation is pursuing nuclear weapons and trying to destabilize Iraq.
VIENNA, Austria— Leading European nations on Wednesday stopped short of endorsing a United Nations plan to ease tensions over Iran's nuclear program, and the United States called a six-nation meeting next week to discuss imposing tougher U.N. sanctions on Iran's government.
The Bush administration said Wednesday that retreat in Iraq would cede power in the country to Iran, the U.S.-labeled "axis of evil" nation that has become the boogeyman of the Middle East.
Two prominent Austrian Jewish leaders urged Pope Benedict XVI to use his moral authority to stop Iran from developing the ability to produce nuclear weapons and prevent a "catastrophe for all of humanity," according to a letter released Wednesday.
Iran said Wednesday that new UN sanctions would torpedo renewed nuclear inspections but the United States and European powers said there must be sanctions if Tehran presses on with uranium enrichment.
Iran warned Wednesday that U.N. sanctions could "destroy" its willingness to cooperate with an investigation of past nuclear activities. Undeterred, the U.S. said it still would push for new penalties unless Tehran scraps technology that could make the bomb.
The Bush administration is looking at slapping sanctions on a unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps but has decided against naming the entire body a terrorist group, senior U.S. officials said on Wednesday.
The six major powers working to resolve the controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear program will discuss a draft UN sanctions text September 21 in Washington, the State Department said Wednesday.