Iran wants to brief powers on atom plans: Report

Tehran, Mar 11: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants to brief members of the UN Security Council about his country's nuclear programme, state television reported today.

The five permanent members of the Security Council - the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia -- plus Germany, known as the P5+1, are considering imposing new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear ambitions.

''Ahmadinejad is to brief the UN Security Council on Iran's peaceful civilian nuclear programme,'' state TV reported in scrolling headlines. ''Iran's Foreign Ministry says President Ahmadinejad may attend the next P5+1 meeting.'' State television did not give further details.

Iran has ignored United Nations demands that it halt uranium enrichment, a process Western nations say Iran is mastering so it can produce atomic bombs, a charge Tehran denies.

The Security Council imposed in December a package of limited sanctions including barring the transfer of sensitive nuclear technology or know-how. It threatened further steps if Iran ignored the February 21 deadline to suspend enrichment.

The latest draft proposals, set out in a March 3 working paper obtained by Reuters, would expand a list of people, firms and groups whose assets would be frozen or trade with whom would be restricted, such as Iran's Revolutionary Guards and the state-owned Bank Sepah.

Both China and Russia have balked at the idea of financial sanctions against Iran during talks among the six powers.

Reuters

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