Representative of the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France, which are the five veto-wielding permanent members of the Council, held closed consultation to seek common position on the draft resolution circulated by Britain and France.

"It is too early to say if we can find an agreement," French Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said after the consultation. "But it seems to me that we have made some steps towards it."

However, he admitted that a lot of work remains to be done.

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin reiterated that Russia still objected to handle the Iranian issue through military way.

"The best way to support Iran is for Iran to listen very carefully to what the international community has to say," he said.

Churkin observed that "we are looking for ways to make a meaningful resolution which all the members of the Security Council could live with and send a meaningful signal to Iran, and therefore advance the prospect of a political and diplomatic solution."

Western countries expected an agreement before foreign ministers from the five permanent members plus Germany meet on Iran on Monday.

France and Britain, backed by the United States, introduced Wednesday a new draft resolution to the UN Security Council demanding Iran suspend all enrichment activities immediately or face possible sanctions under Chapter 7.