UNITED NATIONS, Sept 20: The United States, Britain and France warned Iran on Thursday that time is running out for a negotiated settlement to the showdown on its nuclear program. “Time is wasting,” US ambassador Susan Rice told a UN Security Council meeting on nuclear sanctions against Iran.

Iran is “at a crossroads,” Britain's UN envoy Mark Lyall Grant told the meeting at which western nations also slammed Iran for its arms deliveries to Syria and alleged links to terrorism.

The meeting was held amid mounting speculation that Israel is planning a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to speak at the UN General Assembly of world leaders next week.—AFP