Iran ready for war or talks to resolve nuke issue

TURKEY: Iran is prepared for possible US military action over its nuclear programme, but believes dialogue is the best way to resolve the dispute, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here Wednesday.

"The United States put forward two options: the first is to use violence and the second (is) cooperation," the Iranian minister told reporters at the end of a two-day visit to Turkey.

"We are ready for both eventualities but, of course, we have always preferred cooperation."

Mottaki said the dispute should be resolved through a "diplomatic solution," adding that threats would not cajole Tehran into making concessions.

A BBC report Tuesday said the United States has drawn up detailed contingency plans for air strikes against Iran, including targets beyond nuclear facilities such as military bases and missile facilities.

The US Defence Department dismissed the report as "ludicrous".

"The time of using threats in international relations is over. The language of threat does not work any more," Mottaki said. "It is the time of communication and cooperation."

Tehran vowed Wednesday that it would continue its nuclear drive, defying a new UN deadline to suspend sensitive uranium enrichment work. The head of the UN nuclear watchdog is expected to confirm by Friday that Iran has not met calls to halt uranium enrichment, which could pave the way for tougher sanctions.

The United States accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

Asked whether Tehran may consider making concessions from its current stance, Mottaki insisted there was room for a settlement.

"We believe that there are possibilities for a comprehensive solution... based on two principles - recognising Iran's right to nuclear technology for pacific purposes and removing concerns over this issue.

"It needs political will for all parties to solve the problem and to avoid any political approaches to this technical issue," he said.

Iran, he added, will welcome any efforts by Turkey, a mainly Muslim country with close relations to the West, to help resolve the dispute.

Meanwhile The UN Security Council looks set to thrash out another hard-to-negotiate resolution on Iran's disputed nuclear program, one likely to punish Tehran for intransigeance.

UN diplomats have appealed for patience saying they need to read an upcoming report from the International Atomic Energy Agency before considering the next course of action.

But some privately acknowledge that a new resolution tightening sanctions imposed in December appears inevitable.

A US diplomat told reporters there was no draft text pre-negotiated between the United States and its European allies ready to be circulated among council members as soon as the IAEA report is out. Asked if that might be the case, the diplomat, speaking privately issued a categorical "No."

"I don't think a decision's been made as to what the next step is. Clearly, options are before us, so we'll be discussing them," he added.

The Security Council was due to hold Friday public debate on the general issue of non-proliferation in which Iran could be brought up but the meeting is not specifically on the Iranian case.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei is due to report to the council by Friday and is widely expected to confirm that Iran is pushing ahead with enrichment, a process the West fears could be used to make nuclear weapons.

Istanbul, New York, Thursday.