The United States and its European allies are preparing to impose their own broad military and economic sanctions against Iran if Russia and China balk at voting for a tough new resolution at the United Nations, according to U.S. and European officials.
Hossein Shariatmadari, once a prisoner of the shah, is now the voice of hard-line Iran, feared by many of his countrymen.
Major powers said on Friday they had "serious and constructive" talks about new U.N. Security Council sanctions aimed at trying to force Iran to halt its uranium enrichment activities.
The United States and France agree on how to pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday.
A top American commander on Friday accused Iran of supplying powerful roadside bombs to militants in Afghanistan and said the U.S. would "act decisively" if the cross-border flow continues
The United States and France on Friday stressed their diplomatic efforts to end Iran's suspected nuclear arms program as major powers met to discuss possible new U.N. sanctions against Tehran.
Iran demanded on Friday that U.N. inspectors visit Israel to investigate its nuclear capability while Israel accused Tehran of lying in a bitter debate at an assembly of the U.N. atomic watchdog.
Israel accused Iran of lying Friday while Tehran challenged the international community to send U.N. inspectors to probe its arch-rival's nuclear capabilities, in a rare and unusually bitter direct confrontation.
Iran has warned Argentina against joining the enemy camp if Argentine President Nestor Kirchner criticizes Tehran at the UN General Assembly, the Iranian ambassador said in an interview Friday.
Iran called for UN inspectors to be dispatched to verify whether Israel has nuclear weapons, in a heated showdown with the Jewish state at a meeting of the UN atomic agency Friday.