Rice warns Iran of 'punitive measures' over nuclear drive

Six world powers have offered to start pre-negotiations during which Tehran would add no more uranium-enriching centrifuges and in return face no further sanctions - the so-called “freeze-for-freeze” approach.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown echoed Rice’s warning in an address to the Israeli parliament.

“Iran now has a clear choice to make: suspend its nuclear programme and accept our offer of negotiations or face growing isolation and the collective response (of) not just one nation but of all nations round the world,” Brown said.

“Just as we have led the work on three mandatory sanctions resolutions of the UN, the UK will continue to lead - with the United States and our European Union partners - in our determination to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapons programme.”

Jalili and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana hailed their talks as “constructive” but Solana lamented that Tehran had not given a final response to proposed incentives for Tehran to abandon its nuclear programme.

Rice said diplomacy offered the possibility of both negotiations and the “possibility of punitive measures.”

“And we are in the strongest possible position to demonstrate that if Iran doesn’t act, then it’s time to go back to that track.”