US will back new Iran sanctions

The US wants a new resolution on Iran agreed 'with some dispatch'

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said there is a "very strong case" for a third round of sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear programme.

She spoke as the UN nuclear agency said it could offer no "credible assurances" that Iran was not building a bomb.

UN Security Council members the US, UK, China, France and Russia meet on Monday in Washington to mull their next step.

But Iran's top nuclear negotiator said the UN report backed Tehran's claim its nuclear programme was peaceful.

Tehran refuses to stop enriching uranium, insisting its work is aimed purely at generating electricity.

Travel bans

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report did praise Iran for granting its inspectors access to previously off-limits sites, but said it remained evasive on key issues.

Tehran says its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes

The nuclear watchdog struck a deal last August with Iran on a timetable to resolve questions over aspects of its past nuclear activities.

But Friday's report said Tehran had evaded a proper response to claims it had made secret efforts to "weaponise" nuclear material.

It had also ducked questions about alleged high explosives testing and design work on a missile warhead, the IAEA found, noting: "This is a matter of serious concern."

Iran was also still openly enriching uranium in defiance of UN resolutions and testing advanced centrifuges to speed up the process, said the inspectors.

The US secretary of state said: "This report demonstrates that whatever the Iranians may be doing to try to clean up some elements of the past, it is inadequate given their current activities.

"What we all have to worry about... is the future in which Iran could start to perfect the technologies that could lead to a nuclear weapon."

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili told reporters: "This report showed that our activities are peaceful."

But BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says the IAEA findings are definitely not a clean bill of health.

On Thursday, Britain and France introduced a UN Security Council resolution - a draft of which was approved last month - with support from the US, Russia, China and Germany.

It seeks to expand the number of Iranian companies targeted by sanctions and impose travel bans on certain Iranian officials.

A declassified US intelligence report last December judged that the Iranians had put a nuclear weapons program on hold in 2003.

But the US, Israel and others contend Iran's continued advances in the crucial centrifuge work will eventually give it a capability to build a bomb.

England wins Rugby Union by 14-9

England coach Brian Ashton paid tribute to his side's "bulldog spirit" after they produced another belligerent display to reach the World Cup final.

Jonny Wilkinson kicked nine points after Josh Lewsey's early try as England beat France 14-9 in Paris.

"We have some bright lads who have been through the mill and you can't buy experience like that," Ashton said.

"These guys won't give up. People talk about a British bulldog spirit and it is very much here in this group."

Following their 36-0 defeat to South Africa in the group stages in France, many critics wrote off England's chances of making an impact at the World Cup.

But Ashton said his players used all of the criticism and their past experience to power past the home favourites at the Stade de France.

"We knew it was going to be tough tonight but we did think we had a side that could go out and beat France.

"We didn't actually get things right in the first half but we were a bit smarter in the second in terms of achieving field position.

"And we knew eventually we would get within sight of their posts and Jonny would kick them over."

The victory was England's first in Paris since 2000, and the size of the achievement was not lost on an emotional Phil Vickery.

"It is just a brilliant day," said the England captain. "To beat France in France in a World Cup semi-final is a huge effort from everyone.

"It was not a fantastic game of rugby, it was two teams desperate to win a game. But it had everything in it - fair play to the boys, they dug in and we had a bit of luck.

"Sometimes in sport things don't make sense and predictions are not right, and it is a very special day when the underdog rises up."

Match-winner Wilkinson, meanwhile, admitted he was not 100% happy with his kicking and insisted England would swiftly turn their thoughts to becoming the first in history to retain the World Cup.

"We have faced some incredible teams in this tournament - and none stronger than the one we have taken out tonight," he said.

"That was an incredible performance by the French and I don't think my body has ever felt so sore.

"It has been a funny story, this World Cup. Some of my kicks have gone over and some have not. But you just go back to it and give it all you have got.

"I had a better time at the end (of the match) - and I'll accept that. But I realise I need to get back working.

"We have learned by going one game at a time. We have a day and an hour to really let it sink in.

"But don't fool yourselves for a second that the guys are not going to be thinking straightaway about going out and winning it next week."

France warning of war with Iran

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner says the world should prepare for war over Iran's nuclear programme.

We have to prepare for the worst, and the worst is war," Mr Kouchner said in an interview on French TV and radio.
He was speaking ahead of a visit to Russia on Monday, during which Iran is likely to feature prominently.
Iran's nuclear programme will also be one of the main issues for the UN nuclear watchdog's annual conference, starting in Vienna on Monday.
Iran denies it is trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and says it only wants nuclear power to generate electricity for civilian purposes.
But it has repeatedly rejected UN demands to give up the enrichment of uranium, which the US and other Western states fear is being diverted to a nuclear weapons project.
Tougher approach
Mr Kouchner said negotiations with Iran should continue "right to the end", but that an Iranian nuclear weapon would pose "a real danger for the whole world".
He said a number of large French companies had been asked not to tender for business in Iran.
The shift in Paris is part of a broader change of diplomatic gear under a young and dynamic president

"We are not banning French companies from submitting. We have advised them not to. These are private companies."
"But I think that it has been heard and we are not the only ones to have done this."
Mr Kouchner will seek agreement with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over tighter UN sanctions to try to force Iran to give up enrichment, the French foreign ministry says.
Russia has a UN Security Council veto over any new sanctions, and its support is seen as vital for any new approach. It also has perhaps the greatest leverage over Tehran, as the supplier of fuel for its nuclear reactor.
But Mr Kouchner said even in the absence of UN action, the European Union should prepare its own sanctions against Iran.
"We have decided while negotiations are continuing, to prepare eventual sanctions outside the ambit of UN sanctions. Our good friends, the Germans, suggested that," he said.
'Playing for time'
Iran has warned that any new punishments could push it to stop co-operating with the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The IAEA's members meet this week in Austria, with Iran likely to top the agenda.
The director of the organisation, Mohamed ElBaradei, has been criticised in the West over a new deal with Iran to clear up questions about its past nuclear activities.

Iran says its nuclear programme is peaceful
The US and its allies believe the deal just gives Iran more time, during which they fear it will advance its nuclear programme.
Since becoming foreign minister earlier this year, Mr Kouchner has not shied away from controversy.
Last month he was quoted as saying the Iraqi government was "not functioning" and seemed to hint that Prime Minister Nouri Maliki should resign, provoking an angry reaction from Baghdad.
The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says France has changed its approach to world affairs under its new President Nicolas Sarkozy, adopting a harder line on several issues, and seeking to improve relations with the United States.
But it is the tougher rhetoric aimed at Tehran which will please Washington the most, he says.
Until now the UN Security Council has imposed economic sanctions on Iran, but did not allow for military action.
The United States has not ruled out a military attack against Iran to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.