Iran vows to strike at US targets

Iran yesterday vowed to strike at US interests worldwide if it is attacked by the US, which is keeping military options open in case diplomacy fails to curb Tehran's nuclear programme.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the threat two days before the UN nuclear watchdog reports on whether Iran is meeting Security Council demands to halt uranium enrichment.

Iran says it will not stop enrichment, which it says is purely for civilian purposes and not part of what the US says is a clandestine effort to make atomic bombs.

"The Americans should know that if they assault Iran their interests will be harmed anywhere in the world that is possible," Khamenei was quoted as saying by state television.

"The Iranian nation will respond to any blow with double the intensity," he said.

Washington, backed by Britain and France, has been pushing for sanctions if, as it expects, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that Iran has flouted UN demands.

But Russia and China, the UN Security Council's other two veto-holding permanent members, oppose any embargo.

Iran's nuclear energy head, Gholamreza Aghazadeh, held talks with IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei in Vienna yesterday.

"The talks were encouraging," Mohammad Saeedi, deputy head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, told Reuters, adding the two sides discussed ways to resolve outstanding issues with the IAEA. He gave no details.

But a Vienna-based diplomat said before the meeting it would be too late to alter decisively the IAEA report, due to be submitted to the Security Council by tomorrow, because inspectors would not have time to verify issues.

"All ElBaradei can do is note any information received and say he could not assess whether it was significant," said the diplomat, who asked not to be named.

Mr ElBaradei visited Tehran this month but his proposal that Iran "pause" enrichment was rebuffed, diplomats have said.

British Foreign Minister Jack Straw sought to enlist China's backing yesterday, saying Beijing should use its growing diplomatic muscle to solve disputes with international partners.

"China's support for this goal, as a permanent member of the Security Council, has been valuable already and will be increasingly crucial in securing international consensus in the face of Iran's intransigence," Straw said in London.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Tuesday it was time the Security Council drafted a Chapter 7 resolution.

This would be binding under international law and could lead to sanctions or even military intervention, although another resolution would be required to specify either step.