SHANNON, July 21 (AFP): Iran has two weeks to respond seriously to an international offer to halt its sensitive nuclear work or face further "punitive measures," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned.
A meeting in Geneva Saturday sent a "very strong message to the Iranians that they can't go and stall ... and that they have to make a decision," Rice told reporters travelling with her to the Middle East Monday.
"It clarifies Iran's choices and we will see what Iran does in two weeks. But I think the diplomatic process now has a kind of new energy in it," Rice said.
She was referring to the UN Security Council, which has so far imposed three rounds of sanctions on Iran.
The top US diplomat did not expect any "imminent action" as August is a slow summer month but expected work to begin soon after on drafting another round of "punitive measures."
Rice, who was heading to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to discuss Iran and other Middle East issues, said Washington would also look at further unilateral measures it can take to put the squeeze on Iranian financial institutions.
Rice said the diplomatic process contained two elements, including negotiations. "We've made the strongest possible play in terms of the possibility of negotiations.
"The other is the possibility of punitive measures, and we are in the strongest possible position to demonstrate that if Iran doesn't act, then it's time to go back to that track," Rice said.
In a policy shift, Rice sent her third-ranking diplomat William Burns to the meeting with Iran in Switzerland in a bid to break a two- year deadlock with Tehran over its refusal to stop enriching uranium.
She said Burns helped strengthen diplomacy involving the five permanent UN Security Council members-the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain-as well as Germany, or the "P5-plus-1."
Until Saturday, the United States had refused to sit with Iran at the nuclear talks until it stopped enriching uranium.
Meantime, Condoleezza Rice said North Korea would receive a "very strong message" about its nuclear disarmament obligations at six-party talks this week in Singapore.
Flying to Asia via the Middle East on Monday, Rice lowered expectations for her first meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun at informal talks with their counterparts from South Korea, China, Japan and Russia.
