The United Nations Security Council would consider sanctions against Iran if it does not halt uranium enrichment by August 31, according to a resolution circulated Friday.

According to the text of the draft resolution which was distributed to the 15 council member nations, the Council will "adopt appropriate measures under Article 41 of Chapter VII of the UN Charter to persuade Iran to comply with this resolution and the requirements of the IAEA."

However, it stresses that further decisions will be required should such additional measures be necessary."

Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States, Germany drew up the draft resolution during weeks of painstaking talks.

Russia and China expressed opposition to the mentioning of sanctions in the resolution. Russian ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said Friday that no sanction is introduced against Iran in the draft resolution.

He said if Iran did not respond, the Security Council would then consider "measures of pressure, like sanctions."

But he noted that there are all possibilities. If Iran gives positive response, the resolution might become irrelevant, he said.

Churkin insisted sanctions would be "the next step, a possibility along with other possibilities."

Earlier on Friday, US ambassador to the UN John Bolton told reporters that he expected a vote to be taken early next week.

If Iran continues to pursue uranium enrichment, "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 United States and its allies believe that Iran is seeking to build a nuclear bomb. But Iran has insisted its program is peaceful and refused to suspend uranium enrichment activities.

The draft resolution calls on Iran to follow IAEA directives "without further delay."

If passed, it would call on the IAEA director Mohammed ElBaradei to give a report on whether Iran has complied by August 31.

Diplomats said the resolution would increase pressure on Iran to respond to an offer of economic and political incentives to halt its nuclear production that was made by Britain, France and Germany in June.

Iran has said it will not reply before August 22, nine days before the proposed UN deadline.

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2006)