The United States has accused Iran of lying to the UN about its intentions to develop its nuclear program, saying Tehran clearly wants the capability to produce atomic weapons.

Condoleezza Rice made the accusation as she flew to Moscow to win Russia's support for additional UN sanctions against Iran. (which a doubt she'll get)

"There is a history of Iran not answering important questions about what is going on, and there is Iran pursuing nuclear technologies that can lead to nuclear weapons-grade material," she said on a flight to Moscow.

Rice and Robert Gates, the US secretary of defence, are scheduled to meet their counterparts in Moscow on Friday.

Rice said Russia was also concerned about Iran's nuclear program. "That concern was seen very clearly in Russia's offer to Iran to enrich and reprocess in a joint venture and to bring back any spent fuel so that the fuel cycle wouldn't be available to Iran. I think there is a reason for that, and that is suspicion about Iran's intentions."

US have accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons for a long time.

Tehran says the programme is purely for energy.

Vladimir Putin, Russia's president, said there was no proof that Iran is trying to build the bomb.

"We have no objective data that Iran is seeking to make atomic weapons," Putin said. "Therefore, we proceed from the assumption that Iran has no such plans."

The UN is scheduled to move on a resolution for new sanctions in November. These sanctions are also opposed by China.

Al Jazeera