Reuters, LONDON, October 15 - U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton accused Iran of spending the last 18 years trying to develop nuclear weapons to intimidate the Middle East and "possibly to supply to terrorists".

Bolton, in an interview with the BBC broadcast late on Friday, said Iran had lied about its nuclear programme and said the international community needed to react.

"I think that the Iranians have been pursuing a nuclear weapons programme for up to 18 years," he said. "They have engaged in concealment and deception and they've engaged in threats before.

"The real issue is whether an international community is going to accept an Iran that violates its treaty commitments under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, that lies about its programme and is determined to get nuclear weapons deliverable on ballistic missiles that it can then use to intimidate not only its own region but possibly to supply to terrorists."

Washington and the European Union are trying to persuade the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. nuclear watchdog, to refer Iran's nuclear programme to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.

Iran has denied U.S. charges that it wants to build an atomic bomb and says its programmes are aimed at the peaceful generation of electricity.

On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will seek Russian support for its hard line against Iran on a surprise trip to Moscow.