The United States says it is confident the U.N. Security Council will ultimately impose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.
A U.S. State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack said Thursday that the diplomacy leading to sanctions will be, in his words, "complex" and "sometimes hard-fought."
Washington says Iran should face sanctions now, because it ignored an August 31st Security Council deadline to suspend uranium enrichment. But not all Council members agree on how to proceed with Iran.
Britain, France and Germany have been negotiating with Tehran, and say they are still open to dialogue. Russia and China have long been reluctant to punish Iran.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday he is open to what he calls "new conditions" to resolve the issue. He did not elaborate.
The United States and many of its European allies believe Iran is planning to build nuclear weapons -- a charge Iran denies.
A U.S. State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack said Thursday that the diplomacy leading to sanctions will be, in his words, "complex" and "sometimes hard-fought."
Washington says Iran should face sanctions now, because it ignored an August 31st Security Council deadline to suspend uranium enrichment. But not all Council members agree on how to proceed with Iran.
Britain, France and Germany have been negotiating with Tehran, and say they are still open to dialogue. Russia and China have long been reluctant to punish Iran.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday he is open to what he calls "new conditions" to resolve the issue. He did not elaborate.
The United States and many of its European allies believe Iran is planning to build nuclear weapons -- a charge Iran denies.