U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has telephoned Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss possible resolutions to the Iranian nuclear situation.
Rice's Saturday phone call came after Russia and China called for changes in a draft resolution prepared by Britain and France and backed by the United States that was submitted to the United Nations Security Council Friday.
China and Russia on Friday objected to language invoking Chapter Seven of the U.N. Charter, which can be used to authorize sanctions and military force.
Russia's ambassador to the U.N., Vitaly Churkin, said the draft should have one goal, to ensure Iran's nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council held a meeting Saturday in New York to continue to discuss the resolution.
The talks come ahead of a meeting Monday in New York of the foreign ministers of six key countries trying to negotiate a settlement to the crisis.
The West accuses Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Teheran has repeatedly denied the charge, saying its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Rice's Saturday phone call came after Russia and China called for changes in a draft resolution prepared by Britain and France and backed by the United States that was submitted to the United Nations Security Council Friday.
China and Russia on Friday objected to language invoking Chapter Seven of the U.N. Charter, which can be used to authorize sanctions and military force.
Russia's ambassador to the U.N., Vitaly Churkin, said the draft should have one goal, to ensure Iran's nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council held a meeting Saturday in New York to continue to discuss the resolution.
The talks come ahead of a meeting Monday in New York of the foreign ministers of six key countries trying to negotiate a settlement to the crisis.
The West accuses Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Teheran has repeatedly denied the charge, saying its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.