Condoleezza Rice rejects renewal of talks with Iran

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today condemned Iran's decision to resume its nuclear programme, saying that the international community is united in mistrusting the Islamic republic and its present leadership with such technology.

"I think we have a good deal of coherence in the view of the major powers about the fact that Iran stepped over a line when it broke the seals - and resumed reprocessing nuclear fuel" she told a foreign policy forum.

On January 10, Iran removed some UN seals from its main uranium enrichment facility in Natanz in central Iran and resumed research on nuclear fuel - including small-scale enrichment.

"Nobody wants Iran to have that capability," Rice said in a speech at Georgetown University.

Iran claims its purpose in processing is peaceful. But the process could also produce weapons-grade nuclear material.

Earlier today, Rice brushed aside suggestions about a possible resumption of negotiations with Iran on the stand-off, echoing comments by France that Iran must first suspend its nuclear activities.