The Iranian foreign minister says the efforts to approve new UN sanctions on Iran are confrontational and destructive and will ruin opportunities, Mehr News reported.
Manouchehr Mottaki made the remarks during a meeting with Belgian Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere in Brussels on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Mottaki also warned that governments backing sanctions could scupper Tehran's proposal to export its low-enriched uranium to Turkey in a nuclear fuel swap deal.
"We believe that moving the resolution through the Security Council is a basis for confrontation. It's not our preferred option, but that's up to the other parties," Mottaki stated.
He advised the United States and its European allies not to torpedo the initiative signed by the foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey, and Brazil in Tehran on May 17.
According to the declaration, Iran would ship 1200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey to be exchanged for 120 kilograms of 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel rods to power the Tehran research reactor, which produces radioisotopes for cancer treatment.