For years, the Middle East nation of Iran and the United Nations have been at odds over Iran's nuclear program. Iran insists that it has the right to produce nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including the production of electricity. But many countries fear that Iran is more interested in using the energy to build illegal, deadly nuclear weapons. That is why the U.N. gave Iran until August 31 to stop enriching uranium, which is used to make both nuclear fuel and weapons.
Last week, Iran ignored the U.N. ultimatum and continued its nuclear-energy program. "The Iranian nation will not accept for one moment any bullying, invasion and violation of its rights," Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (ah-mah-dih-nah-zhad) said in a televised speech.
Now, the U.S. wants the U.N. to impose sanctions, which are punishments, on Iran. The U.S. has not said what type of punishment it plans. But sanctions could include banning the sale of technology to Iran or even asking other countries to stop trading with oil-rich Iran.
"There must be consequences for Iran's defiance," said President George W. Bush last Thursday. "We must not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons."