The US has no credibility on this issue. The only country savage enough to
use nuclear weapons should just stay out of the argument. Hugo Chavez should
be leading the charge to peace.

Five nuclear powers send messages to Iran: US
By Sue Pleming Mon Jan 9, 6:21 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The five permanent members of the U.N. Security
Council have sent strong messages telling Iran to halt plans for nuclear
fuel research and resume talks with European powers, a senior U.S. official
said on Monday.

A senior State Department official, who asked not to be named because of the
sensitivity of the issue, said the so-called P5 -- Britain, France, the
United States, Russia and China -- had sent separate notes to Tehran in
recent days over its plans to resume research on nuclear fuel.
The United States had been looking for a strong joint statement but finally
settled on separate statements with the same message -- that Iran should not
resume the research.

"We have worked closely with the Russians, the Chinese, the French, the
British and others," said the State Department official, adding, "The
Iranians have received these messages."

In addition, the five nuclear powers also urged Iran to return to "serious
negotiations" with the so-called European Union-3, Britain, France and
Germany, which have spearheaded talks with Iran over its nuclear plans.

A Western diplomatic source said China had balked at sending a joint
statement to Iran from all five and had also tried to water down the final
messages.

"Technically, China is being difficult, but with Russia on board it would be
hard for China to be the only spoiler," the diplomat said.

EMERGENCY MEETING

Iran confirmed on Monday it would resume research on nuclear fuel, which
diplomats have said would prompt a report to the International Atomic Energy
Agency's 35-nation board, which would then call an emergency meeting.

The diplomatic source said the emergency session could be held as soon as a
week from now. That meeting could determine whether Iran would be referred
to the U.N. Security Council, which could impose sanctions.

"There is some momentum now for action," said the Western diplomat, adding
that European nations in particular were growing increasingly concerned
about Iran's nuclear plans.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said it is a matter of time
before Iran is referred to the council and Washington is optimistic it has
enough support in that body for tough action.

Iran says it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity and denies
Western accusations it is seeking nuclear weapons under the guise of a
civilian program.

For two years, Washington has threatened to elevate Iran's case to the
Security Council, but delayed forcing a showdown while other strategies were
tried. Support from countries including Russia has also been lacking.

Moscow has tried to ease tensions by proposing a joint venture with Iran to
enrich uranium in Russia but Iranian officials have described that proposal
as unacceptable.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Iran must honor its international
agreements to freeze uranium enrichment or face referral to the Security
Council.

"This is an issue of trust," McClellan said. "The international community is
making it clear that if they don't come into compliance and adhere to their
obligations that the next step would be referral to the Security Council."

McClellan said Tehran needed to abide by all its international obligations,
including the Paris agreement of November 2004 in which Iran agreed to
freeze its enrichment program while in talks with the EU-3.

(Additional reporting by Patricia Wilson at the White House)