Rice seeks common front in confrontation with Iran

MOSCOW – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is meeting with three top European leaders this weekend in a renewed effort to form a common front that might dissuade Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Rice sought agreement on new steps to deter Iran in talks Friday in Paris with ailing French President Jacques Chirac. She’ll meet in Moscow today with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country is helping Iran build a civilian nuclear plant, and then will fly to Britain to confer with Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The apparent aim of the diplomacy is to reach agreement on what actions by Iran would trigger a referral to the U.N. Security Council and what penalties Tehran would face there.

U.S. officials traveling with Rice refused to disclose details of the discussions, citing the sensitivity of the talks. But French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, at a news conference with Rice, suggested that the idea is to offer to resume negotiations with Iran, while being more explicit about the consequences if Tehran moves ahead on the nuclear path.

Some observers say Iran has little to fear from having its case sent to the United Nations, because Russia and China probably would block economic sanctions or other penalties using their vetoes in the Security Council.

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s governing board approved a resolution last month declaring that Iran was out of compliance with its obligation not to develop nuclear weapons, but it delayed referring the matter to the Security Council. The delay was intended to give a chance for negotiations between Iran and the European Union.