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QUESTION: Madame Secretary, Mohamed ElBaradei is in Tehran this week for talks on the nuclear program. What message can or should he carry that the regime might not have heard elsewhere? And can you elaborate a little bit on your remarks yesterday about the Security Council needing to take strong steps? Do you have anything particular in mind?

For the Foreign Minister, did you talk about Iran today? Do you have any thoughts about what the West can do, perhaps, that hasn't been done or said already?

SECRETARY RICE: Thank you, Ann. The Director General is indeed in Tehran and he is carrying, I'm quite certain, the message of the international community. There was, after all, an IAEA Board of Governors vote that referred the Iranian case to the Security Council with a set of requirements that had been established by the IAEA. Those requirements include the suspension of enrichment and reprocessing activities in Iran, a return to negotiation so that Iran can begin to reestablish some confidence in the international community after the 18 years in which it deceived the IAEA about activities there.

I want to just note that the Iranian regime is, of course, isolating itself. It is doing this despite the great desire of the international community to engage and to reach out to the Iranian people. The Iranian people do not deserve to be isolated. And in fact, the Iranian regime continues to try and make this an issue of rights for civil nuclear power. No one questions the right of Iran to have civil nuclear power to increase its energy supply. But any civil nuclear technology would have to be one without the kind of proliferation risk. That is the case in the Russian proposal and the EU proposal. So I'm quite certain that Director ElBaradei will carry those messages from the IAEA and from the international community.

And as to what might happen next, there is no doubt that Iran continues to defy the will of the international community. There is no doubt that Iran has continued salami-slicing tactics, a little bit here and then a little bit more and then a little bit more, despite the fact that the international community has said very clearly, "Stop."

Now when the Security Council reconvenes, there will have to be some consequence for that action and that defiance and we will look at the full range of options available to the Security Council. One thing that the Security Council has that the IAEA does not have is the ability to compel, through Chapter 7 resolutions, member-states of the UN to obey the will of the international system. And I'm certain that we'll look at measures that could be taken to ensure that Iran knows that they really have no choice but to comply.

FOREIGN MINISTER MACKAY: I might add just briefly that Canada very, very strongly believes that there has to be a clear and consistent message coming from the international community, of which we very much see ourselves as part of that one voice that should be sending a message to Iran that they must comply with the IAEA and they must also very much send a signal that they are listening to the message that is coming. Because as Secretary Rice has said, they appear to be consistently crossing the line, step by step, and becoming less and less communicative.

The Security Council is now seized with this issue. They have talked about measures and consequences. And we remain hopeful that Iran is going to get the message. That seems to be where there is a breakdown in communication. They do not appear to be responsive or communicating now in a positive way. They seem to be simply ignoring the messages that are coming from the international community. So Canada supports the efforts of both organizations to have Iran comply and to stand down in their proliferation.

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QUESTION: I have to ask a question in French to Mr. MacKay, but I will translate it, because I would like you to comment after, if you will. (In French.)

Ms. Rice, I asked Mr. MacKay, is -- if Canada approves the idea of sanctions against Iran if Iran doesn't get the message, since it doesn't seem to be getting it?

FOREIGN MINISTER MACKAY: (In French.)

QUESTION: Can you translate?

FOREIGN MINISTER MACKAY: Yes. Very briefly, I believe that Canada is in the position that we do support the international need to respond with one voice, the need to demonstrate to Iran that we very clearly want them to comply upon paying of sanctions. If sanctions are necessary, we do believe -- and I think the important message is that there will be progressive response and progressive consequences. I don't believe we want to take any drastic steps that would destabilize the very volatile situation right now, but I do believe it's necessary to start weighing all of these options. And if, in fact, there is not a response in very short order, I believe that through the Security Council, this will be the appropriate response.

SECRETARY RICE: Thank you.

QUESTION: Could you comment on this, Madame Secretary?

SECRETARY RICE: Well, I find nothing with which to disagree. Obviously, we are still in a diplomatic phase, but we have set the end of the month, essentially, for Iran to respond to a presidential statement. At that point, the Security Council has got to take this back up. The Iranians have done nothing to demonstrate that they are going to adhere to the international guidelines that have been established for them. And therefore, we're going to have to have a response and it can't be another presidential statement.

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