Iran to be given new deadline

Efforts to persuade Iran to suspend sensitive nuclear activities will shift from Brussels to New York this week as the United Nations Security Council discusses possible sanctions against Tehran.

Six weeks after the EU promised Iran a package of incentives to end its suspension of uranium enrichment, efforts to avoid UN sanctions appear to have run into the sand.

Permanent members of the Security Council, plus Germany, are discussing a resolution which would make it mandatory for Iran to suspend enrichment.

Under the resolution, Iran is likely to be given a new deadline to halt nuclear activities or face sanctions, including possible visa bans for senior officials and a freeze on foreign assets.

Diplomats said that the deadline was likely to fall close to 22 August, the date Iran has indicated that it will respond to the EU's offer.

Some EU diplomats expressed disappointment that Iran has not yet responded to the offer delivered by foreign policy chief Javier Solana on 6 June.

There is a widespread belief among EU member states that Iran is stalling for time.

Last spring EU ministers began discussing the impact of barring Iranian officials travelling to the EU and of freezing Iranian assets, but diplomats said that the EU has still not formally begun work on the list of those barred from travelling to Europe or which accounts would be blocked.

Iran, however, appears to be trying to limit the impact of sanctions. Reports indicate that Iran began transferring its foreign reserves from European banks months ago.

One member state diplomat described the transfers as "not entirely surprising".

Efforts to persuade Iran to suspend sensitive nuclear activities will shift from Brussels to New York this week as the United Nations Security Council discusses possible sanctions against Tehran.