Tuesday, March 21 2006 09:43 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: Top officials from the world's major powers held talks in New York to map out a long-term strategy to deal with the Iranian nuclear crisis.

Britain was to outline a plan to crack down on Iran's nuclear program while eventually offering Tehran incentives to guarantee that it would not seek nuclear weapons, a western diplomat in Vienna, the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told sources.

The meeting was held yesterday at Britain's UN mission in New York.

It brought together US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak and foreign ministry political directors John Sawers of Britain, Stanislas de Laboulaye of France, Zhang Yan of China and Michael Schaefer of Germany,officials said.

Sawers was to present 'Some ideas for a possible timely intervention' by the six powers if Iran fails to comply with an eventual Council call for Iran to suspend enrichment, said the Vienna diplomat, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The gathering came as the 15-member Security Councilreported some headway in its bid to agree a revised Franco-British draft urging Iran to comply with IAEA demands that Tehran restore international confidence in its atomic program, which Iran insists is peaceful.