TEHRAN, Oct 18: Iran warned the UN Security Council on Wednesday against imposing sanctions over its nuclear programme, saying such a move would “radicalise” the situation and affect its cooperation with the UN atomic agency.

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said US-led efforts to put a draft resolution to the Security Council would make ending the standoff even harder and even have consequences for the wider Middle East region.

His comments came after the European Union — whose foreign policy chief Javier Solana held several rounds of talks with Larijani in search of a solution to the standoff — declared the issue must now go the United Nations.

“If the Europeans give into US pressure, the situation will radicalise in such a way that Iran will suffer the least and the West will suffer the most,” Larijani told the Mehr news agency in an interview.

“Any new resolution would push further back the chance of an agreement.

“If the other side tries to pass a resolution and exercise pressure and threats, then Iran will not stay indifferent,” added Larijani, in his first public comments for several days on the nuclear issue.

He reiterated warnings that Iran could suspend its policy of allowing inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to carry out checks on its nuclear sites.

Security Council moves “would also be perceived by Iran as a threat to our security,” he said.—AFP