Rice raps IAEA strategy on Iran

Shannon, Ireland: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice scolded the UN's atomic watchdog agency on Wednesday over its Iran strategy and called for diplomacy with "teeth" to end Tehran's nuclear plans.

While repeating the US stand that "all options" remained on the table -- a reference to military action against Tehran -- Rice sought to ease fresh concerns over talk of war.

"We believe the diplomatic track can work but it has to work both with a set of incentives and a set of teeth," said Rice.

The United States has been critical of a deal International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed El Baradei has made with Iran to answer long-standing questions about its nuclear activities.

Rice, who has previously accused El Baradei of "muddying the message" to Iran, voiced strong irritation with the IAEA chief.

"The IAEA is not in the business of diplomacy. The IAEA is a technical agency that has a board of governors of which the United States is a member," Rice told reporters travelling with her to Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

Washington and its European allies argue that IAEA moves divert attention away from UN Security Council demands that Iran suspend uranium enrichment and grant broader inspections.

"It is not up to anybody to diminish or to begin to cut back on the obligations that the Iranians have been ordered to take," Rice told reporters before a refueling stop in Shannon.

The UN Security Council has passed two sanctions resolutions against Iran. The United States is pushing for a third, harsher round of measures, which China and Russia oppose, arguing that the IAEA should be given more time before either further sanctions or military action are considered.

El Baradei has urged Western powers to be patient and has been critical of talk of future military action by the United States and others against Tehran, telling nations opposed to his efforts to learn from the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.