Rice calls for "very strong" UN statement on Iran

JAKARTA (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called for the UN Security Council to send Iran a "very strong" message when its nuclear programme is debated this week.

Rice, in Indonesia for an official visit, hoped for a tough statement telling Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and return to negotiations.

"I am quite certain that when everyone has a chance to think about the importance of sending Iran a very strong message -- that it is time for Iran to hear the call of that resolution which was voted on February 4th calling on Iran to suspend its activities, telling Iran to go back to negotiations -- that we'll find the appropriate vehicle for doing so," she said.

"The Iranians have done nothing to demonstrate to the world that they should not be in the Security Council and so I am quite certain we will find the appropriate vehicle for expressing the international community's solidarity."

Earlier, Rice said the US hoped that Iran would "accept the will of the international community to develop a civilian nuclear programme within the context of the non-proliferation treaty".

The 15-member Security Council is expected to meet this week to discuss Iran's refusal to halt the enrichment of uranium, which can produce materials for nuclear weapons.

International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohamed ElBaradei sent an assessment report on the Iranian nuclear program to the council last Wednesday.