VIENNA, Nov 22: Iran on Monday suspended sensitive nuclear activities that could be used to make a bomb in a move intended to thwart US efforts to report Tehran to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.

Washington wants Tehran to face sanctions, accusing it of trying to develop atomic bombs under the veil of a nuclear power project. But the EU has taken a softer line, persuading Iran to stop sensitive activities in return for better ties.

Iran denies it is trying to develop a nuclear arsenal and says it just wants to generate electricity. "Today the whole enrichment process has been suspended," Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said.

Uranium is enriched to generate atomic power, but when it is highly enriched it can be used in a nuclear warhead. Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed the freeze.

"I think pretty much everything has come to a halt right now. We're just trying to apply seals and make sure everything has been stopped," Mr ElBaradei told reporters in Vienna. Operations at an Isfahan facility readying raw "yellow cake" uranium for processing had also stopped, he said. -Reuters