World powers to consult on Iran sanctions

LONDON, Oct 6 (Reuters) Six world powers said today they were disappointed Iran was not prepared to suspend nuclear enrichment and would now consult on sanctions against Tehran.

''We are deeply disappointed that (European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana) has had to report that Iran is not prepared to suspend its enrichment-related and reprocessing activities as required by the IAEA board and made mandatory in Security Council resolution 1696,'' British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett told a news conference.

''We will now consult on measures under Article 41, Chapter 7 of the UN charter, as envisaged in that resolution,'' she said, reading from a statement on behalf of ministers from the United States, France, Germany, Russia and China who gathered in London to discuss the next steps.

In July, a UN resolution authorised the Security Council to ''adopt appropriate measures'' -- under article 41, Chapter 7 -- which referred to commercial or diplomatic sanctions but excluded military force.

Four months of talks between Solana and top Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani failed to yield a promise from Iran to halt atomic work, which Tehran says is for power generation but the West suspects it wants to make a nuclear bomb.

REUTERS DKS BST0029