Diplomats: EU, U.S. Defer Action On Iranian Atomic Plan

21 November 2005 -- Reports from Vienna say the United States and its European Union allies have agreed to temporarily halt their drive to refer Iran to the UN Security Council over suspicions Tehran seeks nuclear weapons

News agencies quote diplomats and officials as saying the Western powers have decided instead to give Russia extra time to try to persuade Iran to compromise on its nuclear activities.

There's no official confirmation of what the diplomats say.

The reports come ahead of the 24 November meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) governing board, which has been expected to discuss the question of referral.

(AFP/Reuters/AP)