U.S. says sanctions vote on Iran soon

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 (Xinhua) -- The United States believes that the United Nations Security Council will "relatively soon" take a vote on more sanctions against Iran, U.S. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Friday.

"It looks like the UN Security Council is probably headed towards a vote, sometime relatively soon, on the third set of sanctions against Iran, and so Iran knows what it needs to do," Johndroe told reporters.

"I think that everyone's in agreement that Iran should not be enriching uranium, so let's let the vote take place," he said.

On Monday, the six major countries -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany discussed a new International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report on Iran's nuclear activities and the next steps to be taken.

Britain and France introduced a draft resolution at the Security Council on Thursday. But non-permanent members South Africa, Indonesia, Libya and Vietnam have expressed reservations about the proposed resolution.

Officials of the six countries have met several times to discuss a proposed third UN Security Council resolution on Iran to punish its defiance over its nuclear programs. But the talks failed to make any significant progress.

Pushed by the United States, two UN Security Council resolutions have been passed to punish Tehran. The United States wants a third UN Security Council resolution to impose harsher punishments on Iran.

Washington has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran has denied the U.S. charges and insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.