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Western powers meet to discuss Iran sanctions

US, Russian, Chinese and European diplomats were to meet in London yesterday to discuss tightening UN sanctions on Iran amid a flurry of tough and sometimes colorful talk between Washington and Tehran over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed confidence that diplomats would find common ground on measures to increase pressure on Iran over its suspected nuclear arms drive.

US Vice President Dick Cheney said all options were on the table following Iran's refusal to heed a UN deadline for halting uranium enrichment.

An Iranian deputy foreign minister responded by saying Iran was prepared even for war.

Earlier on Sunday, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad insisted his government would press ahead with its uranium enrichment regardless of UN threats, comparing the program -- which Tehran insists is aimed only at producing nuclear power -- to a runaway train.

British officials hosting yesterday's talks of the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany say they are resolved to tackle the issue using diplomacy.

"I am quite clear the Americans want to resolve this through diplomatic means, want to exert every effort to addressing our common concerns and resolving them through political, diplomatic, economic measures," a senior British official said.

Washington has deployed a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf with supporting warships, a move widely seen as a warning to Iran.

Iran insists it is entitled to nuclear power to generate electricity and wants to negotiate with the Europeans and even with Washington without giving up its right to enrich uranium.

The West suspects Tehran is trying to build an atomic arsenal and says the fact that it kept its nuclear program secret for 18 years until 2002 and its lack of cooperation with UN inspectors show ill intent.

Rice sidestepped questions on whether US President George W. Bush's policy toward the largely Shiite Muslim nation, which he has branded part of an "axis of evil," aimed to topple its radical Islamic regime.

Secretary Rice said pressing for democratic change in Iran remained a US policy goal, and reaffirmed that Washington's problems with Tehran extended beyond the nuclear dispute.

The London meeting is likely to discuss adding a travel ban on senior Iranian officials and restrictions on non-nuclear business to existing sanctions banning transfers of nuclear technology. UN sanctions were slapped on Iran in December.
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