The United States said on Thursday that any move by Iran to resume nuclear activity would trigger US efforts to take the issue to the United Nations for possible punitive action.

That process would begin with an immediate US call for the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency's board of governors to meet in Vienna, State Department spokesman Tom Casey said.

However, Casey said, "For the moment, as long as they are maintaining the suspension there is not an immediate need for such a meeting."

The spokesman also said that the United States would continue supporting the diplomacy authorized by the European Union and conducted by Britain, France and Germany.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has urged Iran not to resume uranium conversion until the agency can set up a system to monitor the activity, which can be used for a nuclear program.

Iran said Thursday it plans to resume nuclear work within one or two days despite the European Union calling an emergency meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog over the crisis.

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2005)