Rice Calls for Diplomatic Action Against Iran

SOFIA, Bulgaria -- On the eve of a United Nations deadline for Iran to halt uranium enrichment, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday called for diplomatic action against Tehran, warning that the U.N. Security Council cannot permit the regime to "simply ignore its will and its word."

 Rice, appearing at a NATO alliance meeting, said Iran probably will ignore a deadline set for Friday by the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency for a halt to enrichment. When the International Atomic Energy Agency reports this failure, she said, the council must ask itself whether it will remain credible if it allows Iran to "simply flout the will of the international community" without penalty. 



 As the most important world security institution, the Security Council "cannot have its will and its word simply ignored by a member state," she declared. 



 Iran says it is seeking the ability to enrich uranium in order to supply its civilian power plants. The Bush administration believes Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons, and has been trying to build international pressure on the regime as the deadline has approached. 



 The United States, Britain and France would like a U.N. resolution that would make compliance to the U.N. demands compulsory and could open the way for sanctions. But countries such as Russia and China have appeared unwilling to move to toughen language or sanctions against Iran, and top Iranian officials have defiantly declared all week that they will not comply. 



 Rice sought to enlist more support this week as she met with leaders in Greece and Turkey and, on Thursday, with top officials from the 26-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Though the alliance has taken no position on the issue, Rice discussed Iran's nuclear ambitions with other NATO members over dinner. 



 But there have been signs all week that many countries are not fully convinced, and some fear that if diplomacy fails the Bush administration will turn to military action, as it did three years ago with Iraq. 



 Earlier in the week, Greek and Turkish officials told Rice they were wary that the U.S. would be asking for use of their territory or other help in military action against Tehran. On Thursday, Rice sought to allay similar concerns that the administration might cite a just-completed defense accord with Bulgaria to justify using military bases here for attacks on Iran. 



 "Let me go right to the heart of this question, because I know this is on people's minds," Rice told a news conference. While President Bush "doesn't take any of his options off the table," she said, referring to military action, "we are committed to a diplomatic course" to bring enough pressure on Iran to compel it to give up its nuclear weapons ambitions. 



 The new American-Bulgarian agreement, which is to be officially signed Friday, will give the U.S. military permission to have as many as 2,500 troops in the European country at a time. On Thursday, a Bulgarian national party called Attack organized a rally against the deal, drawing several thousand protesters in Sofia. 



 The demonstrators waved banners that read, "Condi, ask the Bulgarian people," and "U.S. bases war." Demonstrations also were organized early this week for Rice's visits in Athens and Ankara, Turkey's capital.