UNITED NATIONS, March 22 (UPI) -- The veto-wielding permanent members of the U.N. Security Council met Wednesday to discuss Iran but no agreement was reached on what to do next.
"The consultations continue. That's all we have to say," said John Bolton, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, as he left the meeting at the U.S. Mission, located a few blocks from U.N. World Headquarters in New York.
The Permanent five, or P5 of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, met for informal discussions for the third time this week to discuss the nuclear crisis with Iran.
The United States says Tehran is enriching uranium for nuclear weapons as the P5 talks drag on, but Iran, which is allowed to process uranium under its international treaty obligations, insists it is only conducting research and development for peaceful purposes.
Unable to verify Iran's claims, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, sent Iran's dossier to the U.N. Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions.
Britain, France and the United States want Iran to abandon its nuclear activities and proposed a two-week deadline for Iran to respond. China and Russia oppose sanctions.
"It's a process," said Andrei Denisov, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations as he left the P5 meeting. He said he was unsure of when the next meeting with the entire 15-member Security Council would take place.
"We'll meet from time to time but we didn't discuss any proposals to arrange the meeting of the whole membership," said Denisov. "We still need some time to consult."
