IAEA: Iran Failed to Suspend Sensitive Nuclear Work by UN Deadline

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The United Nations nuclear watchdog agency says Iran failed to suspend uranium enrichment as demanded by the U.N. Security Council.

The International Atomic Energy Agency issued the finding in a report to the Security Council Thursday, clearing the way for the council to possibly impose further sanctions on Iran.

On December 23, the council set a 60-day deadline for Iran to end the enrichment work, and banned Iran's trade in sensitive nuclear and missile technology.

Top Iranian officials say Tehran is ready to negotiate to resolve the nuclear standoff, but will not give up its right to pursue nuclear technology.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says world powers have a common goal of getting Iran to resume talks about its controversial nuclear program and to halt its enrichment activity.

Speaking after talks with her European and Russian counterparts in Berlin, Rice said all parties are determined to use "available channels and the U.N. Security Council to try to achieve that goal."

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday the country's atomic program is important for Iran's "development and honor."

The United States and other major powers suspect Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies. Enriched uranium can be used as fuel for nuclear power, or, at more highly enriched levels, to build nuclear weapons.