Iran Refuses to Budge on UN Demands

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani listens to a reporter's question during a press conference after his meeting with Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Mohamed ElBaradei, on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2007, at an hotel in Vienna. Tehran wants new talks on its nuclear program, the senior Iranian official said Tuesday, the eve of a U.N. Security Council deadline for his country to stop uranium enrichment or face the threat of harsher sanctions. (AP Photo/Hans Punz)(AP Photo/Hans Punz) (Hans Punz - AP)

Discussions on a resolution aimed at stepping up pressure on Iran to suspend enrichment are expected to start next week, a Security Council diplomat said in New York, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

The debate will focus on what new nonmilitary sanctions to include in a resolution, the European diplomat said. They could include a travel ban against some individuals, economic measures such as a ban on export guarantees to Iran, and an expansion of the nuclear embargo to an arms embargo, the diplomat said.

"We are ready to schedule a possible meeting if it will be desired by others," said Slovakia's U.N. Ambassador Peter Burian, whose country holds the Security Council presidency. "Probably it will not happen this week. I do not want to pre-judge. First we need to get the report ... and then we'll decide what to do."

Russia and China, veto-holding council members with close ties to Iran, are likely to oppose strict economic sanctions or weapons bans. A travel ban was dropped from the initial resolution because of Moscow's opposition, so tough negotiations are expected.

Russia and France called Wednesday for unity in the standoff over Iran's nuclear program, but also stressed the international community should remain open to dialogue.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov placed less emphasis than his French counterpart on the need to be firm with Iran. He said nations must "preserve unity and consistency _ firmness, if you will _ but ... at all stages, openness to negotiations," with Tehran.

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AP writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Steve Gutterman in Moscow contributed to this report.