Speaking in parliament in London, Straw reiterated "profound concern" at Iran's resumption of nuclear research earlier Tuesday -- a defiant move that increased fears that Tehran is developing a nuclear bomb.

"Military action is not on our agenda, and I don't believe it's on anyone else's agenda," he said, pre-empting speculation that Israel or the United States might attempt a military strike.

But he confirmed that referring Iran to the UN Security Council -- a potential prelude to sanctions -- would be discussed when he sees his French and German counterparts in the coming days.

"Referral to the Security Council has always been on the agenda," he said, recalling that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) set the stage for just such action at its September governors' meeting.

"The issue of whether we formally propose a referral to the Security Council will be a key subject for discussion when I meet my EU colleagues, as I hope I shall do, in the coming days," he said.

Iran insists that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, but many nations question that claim, and Straw argued that Middle East peace and stability, and global security, would be compromised by an Iranian bomb.

Earlier in the day, in his first public reaction to Iran's move, Straw said there was "no good reason" for Tehran to have resumed nuclear research if its intentions were indeed peaceful.

"We are profoundly concerned that Iran has decided to restart research and development activities related to uranium enrichment," he said in a statement.

"There was no good reason why Iran should have taken this step if its intentions are truly peaceful and it wanted to resolve longstanding international concerns."

The foreign secretary said Tehran's move amounted to "yet another breach" of IAEA resolutions and the November 2004 agreement that that the Islamic republic signed with London, Paris and Berlin.

"For over two years the United Kingdom, France and Germany, with support from the IAEA board, have tried hard to resolve this issue through patient diplomacy," he said.

Talks will also be conducted "over the next few days" with other EU foreign ministers, "international partners" and IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who said Monday he was "losing patience" with a lack of transparency on Tehran's part.

In the House of Commons, Straw revealed that he has also been in contact with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, though he did not specify when he last spoke with her.

Straw's concern was echoed by Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman, who said London was awaiting the outcome of discussions between IAEA governors later Tuesday.

"What Mr. ElBaradei's comments reflect is a growing recognition that this is a real problem in the international community. There's a real impatience at what is seen as Iran's defiance of the international community," he said.

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