US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has expressed confidence that a diplomatic solution will be found to the Iranian nuclear crisis, but warned that military options remain on the table and that Washington will not necessarily wait for an international consensus.
"I believe we can make the diplomacy work," Rice said on Wednesday. "And long before we get to the point that we have to contemplate diplomacy failing I believe we have options at our disposal."
Rice said the United States is working to unify the international community in its goal of persuade the Iranians to cease enriching uranium which could be used in a nuclear bomb.
She said the UN Security Council had a number of diplomatic options at its disposal, but warned that the United States could chose to act alone or with a coalition if the crisis is not resolved through the United Nations.
"The right to self-defence does not necessarily require a UN Security Council resolution," Rice said, noting that the United States went to war in the Balkans without one.
"It is important to note that the president doesn't take any options off the table," Rice said. "We are prepared to use measures at our disposal- political, economic or others to persuade Iran."
{{/usCountry}}"It is important to note that the president doesn't take any options off the table," Rice said. "We are prepared to use measures at our disposal- political, economic or others to persuade Iran."
{{/usCountry}}Rice said that Iran is not Iraq, and that "the remedies before us are quite robust."
The UN Security Council has given Iran until April 28 to halt uranium enrichment or face unspecified consequences.