March 17, 2007	Saturday	Safar 27, 1428

WASHINGTON, March 16: The United States said on Friday it would expedite Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's request for a visa to address the UN Security Council when it votes on a new sanctions resolution against his country next week.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack urged Ahmadinejad to use the appearance to do an about face and announce the suspension of his country's uranium enrichment programme as demanded under previous UN resolutions.

McCormack said Iran had applied via the US embassy in Switzerland for visas for Ahmadinejad and his delegation to attend the UN Security Council session that will vote on a resolution toughening UN sanctions against Tehran.

That meeting is expected sometime next week but has not been scheduled.

“We are going to do everything that we can in accordance with our (UN) host country responsibilities to expedite the issuing of any such visas,” he said.

Due to US laws, McCormack said he could not definitively announce that Ahmadinejad would receive the visas until they are actually issued.

“But I would just note for you that we have in the past issued visas for him as well as his travelling party when they've gone to the UN,” he said.

The US and Tehran have not had direct diplomatic relations since the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran.

Ahmadinejad confirmed earlier on Friday that he had formally asked to attend the council meeting under UN regulations allowing any country that is subject to a UN resolution a right of rebuttal.—AFP