Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday the Iran Six were discussing a possible new UN Security Council resolution imposing further sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program.

Last week, diplomats from the United States, France and Britain said they had sent draft proposals to the Russian and Chinese delegations at the United Nations. The five countries, along with Germany, comprise a group of international mediators negotiating with Iran on its nuclear program.

"The issue is being discussed," Lavrov said. "There has been no draft resolution as such. Our Western partners are discussing the ideas that they think could comprise such a resolution."

Lavrov reiterated Russia's stance on Iran's controversial nuclear program. Moscow insists the problem should be resolved by diplomatic means and new sanctions against Iran, if adopted, should be a "balanced" last resort.

The Russian foreign minister said, however, that the Iranian nuclear issue would be discussed in the Security Council if the Islamic Republic did not provide a "constructive response" to IAEA proposals on uranium enrichment.

Under a plan drawn up by the IAEA last October, Iran was to ship out its low-enriched uranium to Russia, where it would be enriched and then sent to France to be made into fuel rods and returned to the Islamic Republic for use in its research reactor in Tehran.

The proposal was approved by the six international mediators on Iran's nuclear program but then rejected by Tehran, which suggested it could consider a simultaneous swap of its low-enriched uranium for 20%-enriched uranium, but that the exchange would have to take place on its own territory.

Last week, Iran threatened to withdraw up its counter-proposal if new sanctions were adopted.

Western powers suspect that Iran's nuclear program is aimed at making weapons, while Tehran claims it is pursuing nuclear technology for its civilian energy needs.

MOSCOW, March 9 (RIA Novosti)