Iran has vowed to continue its nuclear program - despite the U.N. Security Council deadline Thursday for the Tehran government to stop enriching uranium or face possible sanctions.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his nation will not back down in the face of intimidation and give up its right to nuclear technology. He said Iran will not accept what he called "bullying, invasion or a violation of its rights."
Later today, the U.N. nuclear agency is to submit a report on Iran's nuclear activities to the Security Council.
U.S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns will join counterparts from the other permanent Security Council members and Germany at talks about sanctions early next week in Europe.
U.S. officials say they are confident that at least a first set of penalties against Iran will be approved within weeks. European Union officials says EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana talked by telephone with Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, and the two agreed to meet "soon."
Western news agencies are reporting that Iran has continued enriching uranium in advance of the U.N. deadline.
Iran says it is ready for negotiations to resolve the dispute with the West.
The West accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
