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Iran sanctions on table in Berlin UN powers agree on new Iran draft
(about 15 hours later)
The United Nations Security Council's five permanent members and Germany are due to discuss remaining differences on further UN sanctions against Iran. Permanent members of the UN Security Council - and Germany - have agreed on the contents of a new draft resolution of fresh sanctions against Iran.
Foreign ministers from the US, France, the UK, Russia, China, and Germany, are due to meet in Berlin. The announcement was made by the German foreign minister after talks in Berlin with his counterparts from the US, France, the UK, Russia and China.
The United States and its European allies want a third set of measures because of Iran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment. The US and its European allies want a third set of sanctions over Iran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.
But China and Russia have questioned the need for more sanctions. Iran insists its nuclear programme is for energy, not military purposes.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful. "Today we together agreed on the content of such a new resolution," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said afterwards.
Tuesday's discussion will focus on a third UN Security Council resolution that would involve a new package of sanctions targeting Iran's banking and business sectors, says the BBC's Tristana Moore in Berlin. He said it would be submitted by Germany, France and the UK, for discussion by the full Security Council.
Nearing an agreement? US 'pleased'
On Monday, a French diplomat, who did not want to be named, told reporters in Paris that a draft resolution was likely to be presented to the Security Council by the end of the month. We are really very close to an agreement French diplomat A US official said the resolution would "increase the severity" of existing sanctions, such as travel bans and asset freezes, "and will also introduce new elements".
He said: "The ministers should reach agreement [on Tuesday] on a draft resolution to send to [UN headquarters] in New York. We are really very close to an agreement." However a European diplomat, quoted anonymously by the Associated Press, said there would be no new sanctions as such.
He did not go into details about the resolution but said it would be "very balanced, very firm". The US official said: "The US is very pleased."
But other officials said there were still substantial outstanding issues. "This is a swift reminder to the Iranians that they are not in compliance," he said, adding: "The six powers are united."
The Western countries have been keen to crank up the pressure further on Iran, but China and Russia have been reluctant to introduce more punitive measures.
Convincing Beijing and Moscow to sign up to a new wave of UN sanctions was made more complicated last month by the publication of an American intelligence report which declared that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons programme in 2003.Convincing Beijing and Moscow to sign up to a new wave of UN sanctions was made more complicated last month by the publication of an American intelligence report which declared that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons programme in 2003.
Tehran has repeatedly said penalties will not force it to halt its uranium enrichment.Tehran has repeatedly said penalties will not force it to halt its uranium enrichment.
"Adoption of a possible new resolution will not have any effect on our people," government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham said on Tuesday.
Iran says it simply wants to generate electricity and denies claims by the White House and key allies that it is building a nuclear bomb.Iran says it simply wants to generate electricity and denies claims by the White House and key allies that it is building a nuclear bomb.