Tuesday, January 31 2006 10:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: The United States and Europe agreed with Russia and China on a compromise proposal to report Iran to the UN Security Council over its nuclear programme but to put off UN action until at least March, a joint statement said.

The joint statement issued yesterday by Britain, France and Germany plus the United States and China and Russia said the six countries agreed that the UN nuclear watchdog 'should report to the Security Council its decision on the steps required of Iran.

" But they also 'agreed that the Security Council should await the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency's) report to the March meeting of the IAEA board. Before deciding to take action to reinforce the authority of the IAEA process," the statement said.

A senior US state department official said that for the first time in the Iranian nuclear crisis all five permanent members of the UN Security Council - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States are sending exactly the same message to Iran.

Russia has in the past opposed taking Iran to the Security Council, as it seeks a diplomatic solution to present its extensive trade and security interests in Iran.

"This has never happened in the history of the Iranian crisis," the official said of the P-5 unity. He said the US goal was to get the Iranian nuclear dossier to the Security Council, which has enforcement powers unlike the IAEA.