US officials says no grounds for lifting sanctions on Iran

NEW YORK // Susan Rice, the United States ambassador to the UN, said there was "no prospect nor any rationale" for ending sanctions designed to halt Iran's suspected nuclear weapons programme, following a conciliatory overtures towards Tehran at this week's Gulf summit.

"We heard today of continued Iranian violations of the relevant resolution and I see no prospect nor any rationale for altering the sanctions in place against Iran unless or until Iran fundamentally changes its behaviour and takes constructive steps to demonstrate conclusively that ... its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes," she said after yesterday's Security Council meeting on Iran.

Her comments came in response to those from Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, who this week urged the "Security Council to end sanctions on Iran" once the Iranians have demonstrated that their nuclear programme is purely for energy production, as Tehran claims.