South Africa hints at Iran's nuclear resolution delay

Pretoria: A one month delay to consider a new UN security Council draft resolution that impose more rigoruous sanctions on Iran for moving ahead with its nuclear programme would not be a disaster, a South African official said on Thursday.

The United States, Britain, Russia, China and France, permanent members of the Security Council,known as the P5+1, along with Germany are pushing a resolution that will toughen existing sanctions on Iran,including asset freezes and banning of travel for some officials.

Ambassadors from P5+1 are meeting with representatives of South Africa on Thursday to discuss the proposals.

"One-month (delay) cannot cause a nuclear disaster but I don't know what the P5+1 have in their minds," George Nene, head of multilateral affairs in South Africa's foreign ministry told reporters during a briefing in Pretoria.