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Reporter: Ambassador, this morning in the discussion on Iran the French Ambassador Araud displays a real urgency in terms of the Security Council moving ahead. He specifically said there is no longer any reason to wait meaning movement toward a further sanctions resolution. Does the US share that sense of urgency and really believe there is no longer any reason to wait?

Ambassador Rice: Well first of all, I refer you to the US statement in which we described in significant detail our grave concern about the breadth and frequency of Iran's violations of existing UN Security Council resolutions both with respect to the Qom Facility and the various instances of Iran violating the arms embargo under which it is under, and we think that these violations need to be treated urgently and seriously and we welcome the work of the 1737 Committee in that regard.

With respect to the larger challenge of Iran's pursuit of its nuclear program, we underscored that we have been and remain implementing a dual track policy and that as Iran's seeming non-compliance and refusal to take the opportunities that have been offered it by the P-5+1 on the engagement track seem to be the course that they are committed to, we are ready to increase pressure on the other track. And we have said repeatedly that time is short. I think you have heard in my statement, as well as implicitly in the President's remarks in Oslo, that those under sanctions and pressure have the potential of an off ramp but they have to take it. The choice is now Iran's. Time is short and we have not yet seen the kind of response from Iran that we think would be in their interests and in the interests of international peace and security, and absent that in the very short term, we will be back here as I suggested in my remarks to talk about further actions that may be necessary.

Reporter: Ambassador Rice would those actions be sanctions? You keep… you seem to be shying away from using the actual word "sanctions."

Ambassador Rice: I have no problem using the word "sanctions," that's by definition included in the realm of action.

Reporter: And… and in the Council, Russia and China, your colleagues from Russia and China, they didn't seem to go as far. They, in fact, said just "restraints" and "patience." They, is there disunity among the P-5 on this?

Ambassador Rice: I think that the P-5 has demonstrated repeatedly, most recently, in Vienna at the IAEA Board of Governors, both unity and resolve with respect to Iran's nuclear program and the need for Iran to adhere to its international obligations. They both reaffirmed that today and at the appropriate time if and when we are talking about further actions, further pressure, further sanctions, we will hear from them as to how they choose to proceed.

Reporter: Ambassador, the President has said, the Pres…(off mike)

Ambassador Rice: I think you've heard me and many other senior administration officials say that time is short.

Reporter: The President actually has said that by the end of the year there will be a reassessment, so we are pretty much there with the holidays and all that. Is… do you feel that there's any movement inside the Council, any more appetite, or agreement towards movement to sanctions?

Ambassador Rice: Well, I think the President has affirmed and is… we are all indeed on record as saying the P-5+1 will assess at the end of the year, or thereabouts, where we are with respect to Iran's program. And the United States' view as I said today, absent a more forthcoming approach from Iran, and the door remains open, is that the emphasis will increase substantially in that dual track approach to pressure. Thank you.

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