A Security Council resolution drafted by envoys of Britain, France and Germany in consultations with the United States, was presented to the Russian and Chinese ambassadors late Tuesday.
UNITED NATIONS: Key Western UN powers have unveiled proposed sanctions that would target Iran's nuclear and missile programmes over its failure to halt sensitive nuclear fuel work, diplomats said on Wednesday.
A Security Council resolution drafted by envoys of Britain, France and Germany in consultations with the United States, was presented to the Russian and Chinese ambassadors late Tuesday, they added.
According to the draft, the Security Council would invoke Article 41 of Chapter Seven of the UN Charter which calls for sanctions not involving the use of force.
The text proposes that UN member states "take necessary measures to prevent the supply, sale or transfer directly or indirectly from their territories or by their nationals ... of all items, materials, equipment, goods and technology which could contribute to Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes."
The states are also urged "to take the necessary measures to prevent the provision to Iran of technical assistance or training, financial assistance, investment brokering or other services and the transfer of financial resources or services related to Iran's nuclear or ballistic missile programmes."
The draft warns that the council would "consider further measures" if Iran still refuses to comply with a demand that it freeze uranium enrichment, a process used to produce fuel for nuclear reactors but which, if extended, can also provide the raw material for bombs.
China's UN delegate Li Junhua told reporters that the French, British and German envoys "would like to have an initial consultation tomorrow (Thursday) among the council's five veto-wielding members (P5) -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany.
"It's premature to say that the council is in a position to impose sanctions," he added.
But in Washington, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged the 15-member council to immediately slap sanctions on Iran or face losing its credibility.
"For the international community to be credible, it must pass a resolution now that holds Iran accountable for its defiance," she said.
But diplomats here cited differences of view between Washington and its European allies during consultations over whether the draft should call for a suspension of Russian assistance to Iran's Bushehr nuclear power station in Iran.
The sanctions proposed today exempt the Bushehr project, diplomats said.
China and Russia, which have significant economic interests in Iran, are reluctant to impose tough measures against Tehran, and a Western diplomat made it clear that Moscow was certain to oppose any call to suspend aid to Bushehr.
Iran on Wednesday confirmed it has installed new equipment to step up uranium enrichment work despite the threat of UN sanctions.
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