Six key countries make progress on Iran resolution

UNITED NATIONS -- Six key nations reported progress Wednesday on a U.N. Security Council resolution that would impose sanctions on Iran, though differences remained over a travel ban against top officials in the country's nuclear and missile programs.

Britain's U.N. ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, after a meeting of the five permanent U.N. Security Council members and Germany, expressed hope the draft resolution punishing Iran for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment would be finalized this week and put to a vote in the 15-member Security Council next week.

"We've made substantial progress," he said. "I can see now the shape of a deal."

Russia and the United States presented amendments to the latest European draft resolution at a closed meeting that also included Britain, Germany and China.

Afterward, it appeared the six countries were moving closer to agreement.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin also told reporters "we are making some progress," though he would not give a time frame for a vote.

He said unresolved issues included the travel ban, proposed restrictions on Iranian activities, and details of a proposed freeze of the financial assets of companies, individuals and organizations involved in Iran's nuclear and missile programs.

Russia believes the travel ban is unnecessary. The United States, however, is insisting on a travel ban, council diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the consultations were closed.

The six countries offered Iran a package of economic incentives and political rewards in June if it agreed to consider a long-term moratorium on uranium enrichment and commit to a freeze on the activity before talks on its nuclear program.

But Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly said his country would continue enrichment and was not intimidated by the possibility of sanctions.

Uranium enrichment can produce fuel for a civilian nuclear reactor or fissile material for a warhead. Iran insists its program is aimed solely at producing nuclear energy, but the United States and its European allies suspect Tehran's ultimate goal is to make atomic weapons.

In addition to the travel ban and asset freeze, a British and French draft resolution first circulated in October would order all countries to ban the supply of materials and technology that could contribute to Iran's nuclear and missile programs.

To meet Russian and Chinese concerns that the initial resolution was too broad, the draft has been revised to specify in greater detail what materials and technology would be prohibited.

Conceding to a demand by Russia, the new draft also removes a reference to a nuclear power plant being built by the Russians at Bushehr, Iran.

Jones Parry said experts from the six countries would meet Thursday morning and ambassadors would meet in the afternoon.