UNITED NATIONS, Dec 3: Western countries, led by the US, have reportedly reduced their proposed sanctions threats against Iran's nuclear programme to appease Russia and China, however, no deal is expected on a resolution in the Security Council, diplomats here said on Saturday.

The US, Britain, France and Germany want the 15-member Security Council to impose sanctions on Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes after it refused to suspend its enrichment activities, as demanded in an August 31 council resolution.

Russia, backed by China, trimmed off nearly half of the original European text, but the deal was nowhere in sight, a western diplomat here maintained.

Russia has expressed strong reservations against any mention in the text of the $800 million Busshair light-water reactor it is building on Iran's Gulf coast.

The original draft resolution and any new one would not put the reactor under sanctions, but the dispute is whether Russia would be able to deliver a fuel cycle for the reactor, expected to begin operation in the next half of 2007, diplomats here believe.

A new western proposal, drawn up by France, would ban exports to Iran only of the most dangerous items that could be used to make nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles, said the diplomats, familiar with the text.