WASHINGTON, Feb 15: The US administration, describing Iran as a ‘strategic challenge’, signalled on Wednesday a major ramp-up of efforts to promote ‘democracy’ while seeking to rein in its nuclear program.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the administration would ask Congress for another 75 million dollars to fund around-the-clock radio and television broadcasting into Iran and other activities to boost reform efforts.

Ms Rice also told a Senate panel she would have talks in the Gulf next week, with Iran a major topic. She did not name the countries but a State Department official later said she would visit Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Accusing Iran of ‘political subversion’, terrorism and support for Muslim radicals, Ms Rice said in a statement to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: “The Iranian regime is a strategic challenge to the United States, to the world, and a destabilising influence in the Middle East.

“The United States will actively confront the aggressive policies of the Iranian regime.”

“At the same time, we will work to support the aspirations of the Iranian people for freedom and democracy in their country,” Ms Rice said.

The secretary of state and other US officials made it clear the push was part of an overall campaign to increase pressure on Iran, as the showdown over its suspected bid to build a nuclear bomb headed to the UN Security Council.

“The international community is going to have to act and act decisively if Iran is to know that there is a consequence for their open defiance of the international community, so we are working on precisely that,” she said.

The secretary would not discuss what sanctions the United States and its allies might eventually seek to impose on Iran, which insists its nuclear program is strictly peaceful but has resumed work on uranium enrichment.—AFP