DUBAI: Iran has charged key western nations of provoking a confrontation after they began framing a U.N. resolution on its nuclear programme that could result in the imposition of sanctions.

"If anything, the draft [resolution] indicates the intention of those who drafted it to create a crisis where a crisis is not needed, to create an atmosphere of tension which our region does not need, and which can be avoided simply by allowing serious, reasonable, sober discussion," said its Ambassador to the U.N. Javad Zarif. The draft calls upon Iran to comply with the Security Council's demand of late March to stop all uranium enrichment activity.

Teheran would be allowed a short period of time to abide, failing which "further measures" against it can be considered.

The sponsors of the draft were pushing the resolution under the Chapter 7 provisions of the U.N. charter. A Chapter 7 resolution can be enforced through a range of punitive measures including economic sanctions and military force. The draft says Iran is a threat to international peace and security because it posed a nuclear "proliferation risk."

Russia and China have opposed the resolution, which Britain and France introduced on Wednesday.

Stronger language

Using stronger language, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Friday at a summit of mainly Islamic countries in Azerbaijan's capital Baku that "certain bullies" were insolently trying to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. "We intend to continue our activity... until we manage industrial-scale production of nuclear fuel for our atomic power stations."

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