Sept. 28 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. and its allies will delay their push for another round of sanctions against Iran for two months while waiting for reports on the status of the Iranian nuclear program, according to an agreement reached today among the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

As part of the understanding with Russia and China, the U.S. dropped its opposition to an accord between UN nuclear inspectors and the Iranian government that is intended to give more time to assess the scope of Iran's atomic program. U.S. officials had said the IAEA deal with Iran was at odds with the sanctions diplomacy at the Security Council.

The parties to today's agreement, which included Security Council members France and Britain, along with Germany and the European Union, said in a statement they ``welcome'' the IAEA accord.

``We call upon Iran, however, to produce tangible results rapidly and effectively by clarifying all outstanding issues and concerns on Iran's nuclear program,'' including any military aspects, and to provide access required by inspectors, according to the statement released by the State Department.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, speaking to reporters today after the meeting in New York on Iran, which included U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, highlighted the importance of reaching an agreement with China and Russia on the timing.

``The meeting was a success because we are still together, on two tracks -- negotiations and sanctions,'' he said. ``There is a good compromise.''

Russia had wanted to wait until the end of the year for further Security Council action, while the U.S. was pressing for movement in October.

`Arrogant Powers'

Their compromise came three days after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed the authority of the Security Council to make demands on his government, in a speech to the UN General Assembly. Ahmadinejad said the UN's highest body had become the tool of ``arrogant powers.''

The permanent council members will defer the consideration of more sanctions until EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohamed ElBaradei report to them on Iran's nuclear efforts. Their reports should come by Nov. 30, Kouchner said.

The U.S., China, France, Britain, Russia, Germany and the EU expressed ``full support'' for the IAEA in the Iran matter, the statement from the governments says.

Rice had criticized the IAEA for overstepping its bounds in making the deal with Iran. ``The IAEA is not in the business of diplomacy,'' Rice said earlier this month, according to a transcript of remarks she made on a flight to Jerusalem. ``The IAEA is a technical agency that has a board of governors, of which the United States is a member.''

Solana's Talks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed the support given to the efforts of Solana and ElBaradei and said it was ``good that eventually those who have had doubts about continuing Solana's talks with Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani changed their mind.'' Lavrov didn't specify who he meant by that.

ElBaradei has spoken out publicly about his concerns that the tensions with Iran might lead to a military attack. That scenario gained credence when Kouchner told the French news channel LCI on Sept. 16 that the world should ``prepare for the worst'' and that the ``worst is war.''

While U.S. officials have refused to rule out a military option, they have consistently promoted diplomatic efforts to pressure Iran. Nicholas Burns, the State Department official who leads the Iran nuclear discussions for the U.S., said he would work with his counterparts in other governments next month to draft a new round of sanctions.

Stronger Resolution

A third Security Council resolution would be ``incrementally and proportionally stronger'' than the existing two measures, Burns told reporters at a Manhattan hotel where the governments met today. Iran's banks would be one target of expanded sanctions, Kouchner said in Washington last week.

The council, in its two resolutions, has banned Iran's acquisition of materials and technology that might be used to build an atomic bomb and frozen the assets of individuals and groups involved in its nuclear program, including commanders of the Revolutionary Guard Corps. UN member nations have been asked to ``exercise vigilance and restraint'' in selling arms to the government.

Kouchner told reporters later the ministers discussed a set of 14 possible sanctions measures, including a broader arms embargo, restrictions on investments in Iran and penalties against more Revolutionary Guard officials than were named in previous resolutions.

Russia rejected some and China others, Kouchner said, adding that he concluded that Russia was ``less rigid'' than China in the talks on specific measures under consideration.

Burns said today's agreement shows that Ahmadinejad was ``badly mistaken'' in telling the UN General Assembly this week that he considered the nuclear matter ``closed'' and not subject to Security Council involvement.

To contact the reporter on this story: Bill Varner in New York at wvarner@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 28, 2007 17:49 EDT