This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/8517723.stm

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Iran hits back at Clinton warning Iran warns against new sanctions
(about 2 hours later)
Iran has attacked US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over her suggestion that the country is becoming a "military dictatorship". Anyone placing sanctions on Iran would be "regretful", President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki called Monday's statement in Qatar a "new deception". Earlier Russia had indicated it considered sanctions against Iran were still an option if Iran did not co-operate with the UN's nuclear watchdog.
Mrs Clinton had said the government of Tehran was being "supplanted" by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. But Mr Ahmadinejad said Iran talks were still underway and and possibility for agreement "was not closed".
Meanwhile the Russian government has warned Iran that they might yet agree to further sanctions. He also attacked the US Secretary of State for suggesting Iran is becoming a military dictatorship.
Iran should improve its co-operation with the UN nuclear body the International Atomic Energy Agency and allay fears that its nuclear programme is for military use, a Kremlin spokeswoman said. "If anyone does anything against Iran, then our response won't be the same as in the past. No, we will definitely react and make them regretful," the president told a televised press conference.
"The international community must be sure that Iran's nuclear programme is peaceful. But if these obligations are not fulfilled then nobody can rule out the use of sanctions," said Natalya Timakova. Earlier the Saudi Foreign Minister indicated his country would prefer a "more immediate solution" to the situation rather than slow-acting sanctions, but did not elaborate.
Speaking earlier on Tuesday in Iran, Mr Mottaki said "America itself is trapped in a kind of military dictatorship, fuelling tension in the region." Swap deal
His remarks were reported by the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency. The five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Russia, known as the P5+1, have said Iran must agree to swap their nuclear material for enriched uranium in a controlled process if they want to continue with their nuclear programme.
"America has a wrong attitude toward the issues in the Middle East and it is a continuation of their past wrong policies," he said.
Saudi concern
On Monday Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister said imposing more sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme would not be a quick enough solution.
ANALYSIS Kim Ghattas, BBC News, RiyadhANALYSIS Kim Ghattas, BBC News, Riyadh
The Saudi foreign minister did not openly back Washington's call for sanctions, but neither did he say Saudi Arabia was opposed to it. He made clear the kingdom wanted a more immediate resolution to the problem rather than a gradual one.The Saudi foreign minister did not openly back Washington's call for sanctions, but neither did he say Saudi Arabia was opposed to it. He made clear the kingdom wanted a more immediate resolution to the problem rather than a gradual one.
He also said China, a top importer of Saudi oil, did not need to be prodded by Saudi Arabia to know what it ought to do about sanctions against Iran.He also said China, a top importer of Saudi oil, did not need to be prodded by Saudi Arabia to know what it ought to do about sanctions against Iran.
Saudi officials are known for using very careful, often opaque, diplomatic language. It sounded as though he was saying the kingdom would not use oil as an incentive to prod China to back UN sanctions against Iran.Saudi officials are known for using very careful, often opaque, diplomatic language. It sounded as though he was saying the kingdom would not use oil as an incentive to prod China to back UN sanctions against Iran.
But the statement could also be read as a veiled warning - if China failed to back UN sanctions, it risked upsetting its top oil supplier. US and Saudis close gap on IranBut the statement could also be read as a veiled warning - if China failed to back UN sanctions, it risked upsetting its top oil supplier. US and Saudis close gap on Iran
Prince Saud al-Faisal said the threat posed by Iran demanded a "more immediate solution" than sanctions. Iran has said it will agree to swap their material for French nuclear isotopes, instead of enriching their own, but they insist the swap is done in Iran's territory.
The US and its allies fear Iran is attempting to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful.
Last week the Iranian Presidency announced it had begun enriching uranium to 20%, more than they have done so before.
On Tuesday Mr Ahmadinejad said this material was not part of "the nuclear programme".
Iran says it needs the 20% enriched uranium for hospital use.
Earlier, Russia said Iran should improve its co-operation with the UN nuclear body the International Atomic Energy Agency and allay fears that its nuclear programme is for military use.
"The international community must be sure that Iran's nuclear programme is peaceful. But if these obligations are not fulfilled then nobody can rule out the use of sanctions," said Natalya Timakova.
Turkey is currently holding discussions with Iran on the possibility of getting an agreement where Iran's nuclear material could be stored in Turkey.
On Monday Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister said imposing more sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme would not be a quick enough solution.
He spoke in Riyadh alongside US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who earlier said Iran was "becoming a military dictatorship".He spoke in Riyadh alongside US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who earlier said Iran was "becoming a military dictatorship".
On Tuesday, Turkey's foreign minister is due in Iran aiming to mediate.On Tuesday, Turkey's foreign minister is due in Iran aiming to mediate.
Turkey is a Nato member, and Ahmet Davutoglu is expected to try to promote a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme between Turkey's western allies and Iran's Islamic government.Turkey is a Nato member, and Ahmet Davutoglu is expected to try to promote a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme between Turkey's western allies and Iran's Islamic government.
Speaking at a joint Riyadh news conference with Mrs Clinton, Prince Saud said: "Sanctions are a long-term solution. They may work, we can't judge. Wars
"But we see the issue in the shorter term maybe because we are closer to the threat... So we need an immediate resolution rather than a gradual resolution." On Monday US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the government of Tehran was being "supplanted" by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, and was in danger of becoming a "military dictatorship".
While the Saudi minister did not detail his vision of a quick solution in public, it is likely that options were discussed behind closed doors in the meeting between Mrs Clinton and King Abdullah, says the BBC's Kim Ghattas, who is travelling with the top US diplomat.
Clinton's warning
Some regional experts believe neither sanctions nor engagement will work with Iran and have suggested a multi-pronged approach involving intense economic pressure from Iran's neighbours, our correspondent adds.
Hillary Clinton: "Iran is moving toward a military dictatorship"
Speaking to students at a Qatar university earlier on Monday, Mrs Clinton said Iran's elite army corps, the Revolutionary Guard, had gained so much power they had effectively supplanted the government.
"We see that the government of Iran, the supreme leader, the president, the parliament, is being supplanted and that Iran is moving toward a military dictatorship. That is our view," Mrs Clinton said on her maiden visit to the kingdom."We see that the government of Iran, the supreme leader, the president, the parliament, is being supplanted and that Iran is moving toward a military dictatorship. That is our view," Mrs Clinton said on her maiden visit to the kingdom.
The US and its allies fear Iran is attempting to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful. Mr Ahmadinejad said her comments were "not wise".
Turkey has already offered to store Iran's nuclear material as part of a swap arrangement agreed last year. He said the US spent much more on the military than Iran did, and was involved in three wars around the world.
Under terms of that deal, Iran would get medical isotopes from France in return for handing over its own enriched uranium.
Turkey's government hopes its offer to act as a nuclear repository will appeal more to Iran than storing its uranium elsewhere, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Istanbul.
But Iran is still insisting that any nuclear swap must take place on its own soil.