Britain and France on Tuesday presented a draft sanctions resolution on Iran to Russia and China, UN Security Council sources cited by Kyodo news agency said.

The sources said the resolution warns Tehran additional sanctions will be imposed under Article 41 of the UN Charter’s Chapter 7 if Iran continues to defy a UN Security Council ultimatum to freeze uranium enrichment and sharply improve cooperation with the UN probe of suspect Iranian atomic activities.

According to part of the text read out to Kyodo News, the resolution said in part: “States shall take necessary measures to prevent the supply, sale or transfer directly or indirectly from their territories or by their nationals or using their flag vessels or aircraft to, or for the use in or benefit of, Iran and whether or not originating in their territories, of all items, materials, equipment, goods and technology which could contribute to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.”

The resolution also says UN member states should also “take the necessary measures to prevent the provision to Iran of technical assistance or training, financial assistance, investment brokering or other services and the transfer of financial resources or services related to Iran’s nuclear or ballistic missile programs.”

Reuters news agency earlier reported that Britain, France and Germany on Tuesday circulated their draft sanctions resolution against Iran.

The three key European nations took the action after failing to reach agreement with the United States, splitting over such issues as a U.S. demand that Russia be forced to halt work at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, the report said.

The draft exempts “construction” of Bushehr and appears to allow some 1,500 Russians to continue working at the site in southwestern Iran, Reuters quoted a European diplomat as saying.

The United States and its European allies said Iran’s nuclear program is designed to make weapons while Iran insists its nuclear program is for energy production.

The Associated Press said in a dispatch from Vienna that the Western moves are narrowly focused in hopes of winning Russian and Chinese backing for sanctions.

A Security Council resolution passed last week imposed similar sanctions on the sale or transfer of technology that could contribute to North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs after that nation’s Oct. 9 nuclear test.

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