World powers refer Iran to UN over nuclear row

PARIS, July 12 (Reuters) World powers said today they would refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council after Tehran failed to respond quickly enough to a package of incentives aimed at defusing a nuclear standoff.

''We have no choice but to return to the United Nations Security Council,'' French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said following a meeting with his counterparts from the United States, Britain, Russia, China and Germany.

Iran was referred to the Security Council earlier this year, but work on a UN resolution, which could have opened the way to sanctions, was delayed to allow the Iranian leadership to respond to the offer of incentives.

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