Rice Warns Iran It Doesn't Have Much Time

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - The United States warned Iran it will not have much time to respond once it is offered an international package of rewards to encourage it to suspend uranium enrichment, suggesting that the window could soon close and be replaced by penalties.

"It really needs to be within weeks," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told NBC's "Today" show, referring to the six-power package of perks or penalties aimed at halting Iran's enrichment activities.

In separate comments on National Public Radio, Rice suggested she was ready to meet her Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, if Tehran agreed to suspend the activity that can be used to make nuclear arms and negotiate the details of the deal.

The package agreed on Thursday carries the threat of U.N. sanctions if Tehran remains defiant over what the West calls a rogue nuclear program that could produce a bomb. The United States, in a major policy shift, conditionally agreed this week to join those talks. It would be the first major public negotiations between the two countries in more than 25 years.

Iran nuclear bomb 'in 10 years'

Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte told BBC Radio's Today programme Tehran could have a nuclear bomb ready between 2010 and 2015.

His comments come after key world powers agreed proposals in Vienna to persuade Tehran to halt its research.

The UK said the UN Security Council would act if Iran did not comply.

But on Friday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Vienna agreement meant that force was ruled out.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5039956.stm