The EU's draft goes far beyond what had been agreed, said Lavrov at a press conference after his meeting with Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, whose country holds the EU presidency, and the post of EU foreign policy chief.

Lavrov noted that it had been agreed by the big nations that measures against Iran should be "reasonable...be proportional given the actual situation as regards the nuclear program in Iran and should also be in stages."

"We were prepared and are still prepared to draw up measures of that sort," he added.

"We do not intend to drop back our efforts as regards to the problem of Iran and nuclear power," Lavrov said. But he added: "What the EU troika drew up went way beyond what was agreed."

Lavrov spoke ahead of big-nation talks at the United Nations on what steps should be taken against Iran over its nuclear ambitions.

Negotiations on the draft resolution, drawn up by Britain, France and Germany with general U.S. support, promise to be arduous, possibly lasting weeks.

According to western press, the draft orders all countries to prevent the sale and supply of equipment, technology and financing contributing to Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. It would freeze assets of people and entities involved in these programs and prevent them from traveling except for special events.