US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday that Iran is determined to develop a nuclear weapon.

"This is a country that is determined, it seems, to develop a nuclear weapon in defiance of the international community," Rice said during a testimony at the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The chief U.S. diplomat said that the United States seeks to isolate the Iranian government rather than the Iranian people.

The United States has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclearweapons under the cover of civilian nuclear programs. Iran has said its nuclear programs are for civil purposes only.

The United States has insisted on referring Iran's nuclear issue to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.