Iran has said nothing so far to suggest it plans to suspend uranium enrichment, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said this morning.
Speaking on the way to the Middle East, Ms Rice said the foreign ministers of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany might meet later this week to discuss Iran's nuclear programme.
The Security Council has threatened to impose sanctions on Iran if it fails to suspend its enrichment of uranium, a process that can produce material for atomic weapons. Iran denies it is developing nuclear weapons.
The foreign ministers held a conference call over the weekend to discuss European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana's efforts to coax Iran into suspending enrichment.
"I think it's fair to say that we have not yet heard anything that suggests that the Iranians are going to suspend," Ms Rice told reporters, noting that Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been quoted as rejecting any suspension.
"I believe that Javier Solana will probably check his sources one more time to see if there is anything more there," she added. "We did have a discussion of the importance of remaining firm on Resolution 1696, which means that if the Iranians don't suspend, then we will go to the Security Council for sanctions."