[JURIST] An anonymous Western diplomat told AFP Wednesday that the United States is lobbying for Iran to go before the UN Security Council [official website] if it does not comply with a September 3 deadline to stop the nuclear fuel operations it resumed earlier this month [JURIST report]. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) [official website] began investigating Iran's nuclear program in February 2003 and anticipates receiving an updated report on September 3. The US has been privately working with the IAEA to obtain their agreement to send Iran to the Security Council after the group called on Iran to cease its nuclear fuel work [JURIST report; IAEA resolution]. The agency has a scheduled meeting to discuss the September 3 report on September 19, but the US is pushing for an emergency meeting on September 6 or 7. A senior European diplomat said countries including China, Russia and South Africa do not support sending Iran to the Security Council because the IAEA has not formally found the country in noncompliance with safeguards under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) [text, PDF]. Read the IAEA's 2004 report [PDF] on Iran's nuclear activities. AFP has more.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad [Wikipedia profile] said Wednesday that the country plans to offer new negotiation proposals with Europe over its uranium enrichment program. The president said he "wants to continue talks with all," but did not specify whether this includes the US. AP has more.