Big powers agree on draft Iran sanctions, U.S. says
            

Arshad Mohammed And Phil Stewart – 26 mins ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Major powers, including China and Russia, have agreed on a new United Nations sanctions resolution against Iran over its nuclear program, the United States said on Tuesday.

The announcement was a tacit rebuff to a deal brokered by Brazil and Turkey and made public on Monday in which Iran agreed to send some uranium abroad. U.S. officials regard that deal as a maneuver by Iran to delay more U.N. sanctions.

"This announcement is as convincing an answer to the efforts undertaken in Tehran in the last few days as any that we could provide," Clinton added, repeating that Washington has many questions about the fuel swap deal.

The deal had revived the idea of a nuclear fuel swap devised by the United Nations last year with the aim of keeping Tehran's nuclear activities in check.

But Tehran made clear it did not intend to suspend domestic uranium enrichment that Western governments have said appears aimed at giving it the means to make nuclear weapons.

Western nations have reacted skeptically to the deal, although China -- the major power most reluctant to impose more sanctions on Iran -- welcomed it and urged talks with Tehran.

Clinton told lawmakers in Washington: "We have reached agreement on a strong draft with the cooperation of both Russia and China." She gave no details of the draft, but said it would be circulated to the full Security Council later on Tuesday.

She said the agreement was reached among the five permanent Security Council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- and Germany, which have been engaged in talks on ways to address any nuclear threat from Tehran.

The Security Council will hold a closed-door session on Tuesday afternoon to receive the draft, diplomats said, and the United States is looking to get the maximum backing in the 15-member council.

NOT TIME FOR SANCTIONS?

In a sign of the difficulties Washington faces, the foreign minister of non-permanent council member Turkey told Reuters in Istanbul that it was not the time to be discussing sanctions.

"Everybody should understand... that yesterday Iran showed great flexibility which was not expected before, and this flexibility is an opportunity for a new phase of diplomacy," the minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, said in an interview.

Council members Turkey, Brazil and Lebanon have made clear they would have trouble supporting sanctions against Iran. Washington and its European allies say they will work hard to convince Turkey and Brazil to back the resolution.

Lebanon, diplomats say, will likely abstain from a vote on the resolution because the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah is in the government.

The United States and its Western allies accuse Iran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover under which to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies this, saying its nuclear program is solely to generate electricity.

Western powers have said the fuel swap offer will not be enough to ease their worries and Israel, which regards Iranian nuclear capability as a direct threat, dismissed it.

Iran said it had agreed to transfer 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) to Turkey within a month and in return receive, within a year, 120 kg of 20 percent-enriched uranium for use in a medical research reactor.

Clinton said the deal did not commit Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and could lead to months of negotiations before Iran turned over any of its low enriched uranium. She suggested that it was a ploy to stave off U.N. sanctions.

"The fact that we had Russia on board, we had China on board, and that we were moving early this week, namely today, to share the text of that resolution, put pressure on Iran which they were trying to somehow dissipate," Clinton added.

CHINA MORE UPBEAT ON FUEL SWAP

However, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said he was encouraged by the fuel swap deal. His reaction suggested that world powers discussing possible new U.N. sanctions against Iran may part ways on how much weight to give Iran's offer.

"China ... expresses its welcome and appreciation for the diplomatic efforts all parties have made to positively seek an appropriate solution to the Iranian nuclear issue," Yang said, according to the Foreign Ministry website (www.fmprc.gov.cn).

China's stance appeared more in line with Moscow's position that although many questions remained, including whether Iran intended to continue enriching uranium, further consultations were appropriate.

"After this, we need to decide what to do: Are those proposals sufficient or is something else needed? So I think a small pause on this problem would not do any harm," Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday.