The United States has announced it will support a European proposal to offer Iran limited economic incentives in exchange for its abandoning nuclear enrichment activities.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced the policy shift Friday. She said Washington would drop its objections to Iran's application to the World Trade Organization and to the licensing of spare parts for Iranian civilian aircraft.
Ms. Rice said the move demonstrates that the United States is prepared to take practical steps to support European efforts to secure Iranian cooperation through diplomatic means.
Earlier Friday, Britain, France and Germany told the European Union that they would support bringing Iran before the U.N. Security Council if talks fail to persuade Iran to permanently stop enriching uranium.
Washington accuses Tehran of secretly trying to build nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denies.