U.N. ambassador discusses Iran nuclear options

U.S. ambassador to the U.N. &to=http://english.pravda.ru/diplomatic/2001/08/20/12834.html' target=_blank>John Bolton said Friday he expects the issue of Iran's disputed atomic program to be brought to the United Nations Security Council, but acknowledged that doing so wouldn't necessarily stop Iran from pursuing its nuclear ambitions.

"This will be a major test of the Security Council's effectiveness in the area of nuclear weapons proliferation," Bolton said. "But if the Security Council can't deal with a problem like Iran's nuclear weapons effort, then you have to ask whether it can deal with questions of proliferation at all."

The United States and several European allies hope the members of the International Atomic Energy Agency will vote at an emergency meeting next week to send Iran before the U.N. Security Council, which can impose sanctions or other measures to persuade Tehran's government to give up developing nuclear capabilities.

The U.S. has been working toward a diplomatic solution, but Bolton wouldn't rule out that the Bush administration could act on its own to stop Iran.

"The president is very clear that we never take any option off the table," Bolton said, during an appearance at the University of Richmond.