Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin on Thursday called for further discussion over a Europe-sponsored draft resolution seeking sanctions on Iran, brushing aside a European push for a Security Council vote on Friday.

After another round of informal talks with counterparts from five other countries -- China, the United States, Britain, France and Germany, Churkin told reporters that there might not be a vote on Friday.

"I do not think there is going to be a vote tomorrow (Friday)," the Russia envoy said. "We believe there should be a postponement to Saturday."

There were still "two or three" difficult issues unsolved, he said, calling for "further thinking and maybe further discussion of the draft resolution."

But a spokesman for the French delegation said that the plan for a Friday vote still remained valid despite the Russian's qualms.

Britain's ambassador Jones Parry also said the council's president for December, Qatar's ambassador Nassir Abdulazziz Al-Nasser, had decided to schedule a vote for Friday.

The draft, sponsored by Britain, France and Germany, would slap a ban on imports and exports of materials and technology relating to uranium enrichment, reprocessing and heavy-water reactors, as well as ballistic missile delivery systems.

To secure support from Russia, a veto-wielding permanent member of the council, the European sponsors offered a watered-down version on Wednesday that removed a travel ban and instead calling on nations to notify a council sanctions panel of Iranians on a sanctions list transiting through their countries.

In a resolution passed in July, the 15-nation council required Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment by Aug. 31. But Iran ignored the deadline.

The United States has been seeking to impose sanctions on Iran through the UN Security Council on the grounds that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon program under the cover of a civilian program. However, Iran has said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

Source: Xinhua