Iran has threatened to bin an international proposal over its nuclear programme if the UN Security Council passes a resolution demanding that Tehran freeze sensitive uranium enrichment. Foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi also said Tehran could "revise" its policies -- implicitly warning that future access for United Nations inspectors could end -- and said the proposed UN resolution would "worsen the crisis in the region".
"By putting pressure and trying to intimidate Iran, no country will achieve anything. On the contrary, the situation will worsen," Asefi warned on Sunday.
"If tomorrow they pass a resolution against Iran, the package will not be on the agenda any more," he said of an international proposal offering incentives to Iran in return for a suspension of uranium enrichment.
The proposal was drawn up by the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany.
With Iran seen to be dragging its feet before giving an answer -- and saying it will take until August 22 to reply -- the Security Council is now poised to pass a resolution giving Tehran until August 31 to stop enriching uranium.
Enrichment work is at the focus of fears the Islamic republic could acquire nuclear weapons, although Iran insists it wants to enrich uranium only to the levels needed to make reactor fuel.
"The Europeans must be aware that we will revise our policies and react accordingly," Asefi said. "Issuing this resolution will worsen the crisis in the region."
When asked to elaborate on what specific measures Iran might take, Asefi replied: "They know what I am talking about."
Iranian leaders have already warned they could halt cooperation with inspectors from the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and even quit the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
They have also played up Iran's regional clout and oil wealth.
A text of the proposed UN resolution was distributed to the 15 council nations on Friday, and US ambassador John Bolton told reporters that a vote could be held early in the week.
If Iran continues enriching uranium, "the next step will be the consideration of sanctions in the Security Council, and it would be our intention to move forcefully to get those sanctions adopted," Bolton said.
The first stage would be political and economic sanctions, diplomats stressed, pointing to a vote within a few days.
"My hope is that we will be able to adopt it by Monday," said French Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere, whose country holds the rotating council presidency for July.
The United States and its allies believe that Iran is seeking to build a nuclear bomb, and US President George W. Bush said Friday Tehran "will not be allowed" to achieve its wish.
"Our message is: give up your nuclear weapon and your nuclear weapon ambitions," he said after talks in Washington with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Russia and China have led opposition to any mention of sanctions in the UN resolution.
Moscow's ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, stressed the new resolution would not threaten sanctions and that it was "an invitation to dialogue" with Iran.
But he also acknowledged that if Iran did not respond, the Security Council would then consider "measures of pressure, like sanctions" under Article 41 of Chapter Seven of the UN Charter. Article 41 would not allow the use of force.
The draft resolution calls on Iran to follow IAEA directives "without further delay" and highlights the three years the IAEA has spent trying to get information about Iran's nuclear programme.
If passed, it would call on IAEA director Mohammed ElBaradei to report by August 31 on whether Iran has complied.
