Saturday, March 11 2006 10:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Vienna: The United States and Europe want the UN Security Council to give Iran a two-week deadline to halt suspect nuclear work, according to a draft text for a Council presidential statement obtained by sources today(Mar 11,2006).

The draft, which was written by European states on the Security Council, marks the beginning of the process by Council members to agree on a presidential statement in what would be its first action against Iran's nuclear programme, diplomats told sources.

The draft says the Security Council should 'call upon Iran without delay to re-establish full, sustained and verifiable suspension of all enrichment related and reprocessing activities.'

It says the UN nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency should 'report to the Council within 14 days on the implementation by Iran of the actions it has requested.'

The 15-member Council is to meet next week in response to Iran's defiance of the Vienna-based IAEA's call to suspend work on uranium enrichment.

The end product of that process can serve as fuel for nuclear power reactors but also for making an atom bomb.

On Wednesday the IAEA sent an assessment report on Iran's programme, which the West fears is hiding a covert drive for the atom bomb, to the Council.

Unlike the IAEA, the Security Council has the authority to impose punitive measures such as sanctions.

It is, however, expected first to issue a presidential statement calling Iran to order.