US says Iran risks 'serious escalation' in nuclear crisis

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House said that Iran was risking a "serious escalation" in the international dispute over its nuclear programme by reopening an atomic research centre.

"Any resumption of enrichment and reprocessing activities would be a further violation of Iran's agreements with the Europeans," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

"Such steps would be a serious escalation of the nuclear issue," he told reporters.

The spokesman said the US administration was pursuing talks with Britain, France and Germany, which have attempted to negotiate with Iran over its nuclear programme.

But he added that if Iran breaches its international obligations, "there's no other choice but to refer the matter" to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

Iran has told the International Atomic Energy Agency it wants to restart centrifuges at its nuclear research plant in Natanz to enrich uranium on a "small scale," IAEA Director Mohamed ElBaradei said in a statement.