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WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 - Stymied in its effort to rally a worldwide coalition to press Iran, the Bush administration has opened an unusual diplomatic struggle with Russia, China and India to have Iran's suspected nuclear weapons activities brought before the United Nations Security Council for possible sanctions.

But the administration's efforts face an uphill battle, endangering its longtime goal of stopping what Western experts say is Iran's pursuit of a nuclear bomb.

Earlier this week, both Russia and India rebuffed the United States and its European allies, saying they opposed sending the issue to the Council at this time. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday, however, that she and President Bush would try to change their minds at United Nations meetings next week.

"We need leadership on this," Ms. Rice said at a State Department news conference, citing Russia, China and India as vital potential partners in telling Iranian leaders to "live up to their international obligations" to suspend uranium conversion and enrichment.

Iran suspended these activities last year but resumed them last month, rejecting as inadequate the West's offer of incentives in return for Iran's pledge to stop uranium conversion and enrichment permanently.

Ms. Rice's comments reflected a sense of growing urgency over Iran, in part because of what American and European diplomats say are indications that it has recently accelerate