·U.S., Russia differ over the issues of imposing new sanctions against Iran.
·Russia: Security Council should give Iran more time to carry out its agreement with IAEA.
·U.S.: IAEA agreement should not delay any action by the Security Council.

    UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The United States and Russia differ over the issues of imposing new sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear program.

    Russia is currently opposed to impose new sanctions, which will be the third if it is adopted by the UN Security Council, according to reports by Russian media available here on Thursday.

    Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is here attending the UN General Assembly, was quoted as saying in a briefing to Russian reporters in New York that the UN Security Council should give Iran more time to carry out its agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

    In response to what Lavrov said, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters the IAEA agreement was a technical one and should not delay any action by the Security Council.

    "That cannot be used as a shield to protect Iran from its lack of implementation of the demands of the Security Council in regard to the enrichment of uranium that Iran has been asked to suspend twice," he said.

    The UN Security Council has adopted two resolutions - one was in December 2006, the other in March this year - to force Iran to suspend uranium enrichment activities.

    It was reported that Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice exchanged sharp words at a meeting of major industrial states here Wednesday when he condemned Western moves to take unilateral sanctions outside the U.N. framework.

U.S. to continue pressing Iran on nuke issues

    UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The United States, which is seeking international support to impose new sanctions against Iran, dismissed on Wednesday Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's saying that the nuclear issue of the Islamic republic was closed.

U.S. House passes bill to tighten sanctions on Iran

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday to tighten sanctions on Iran and called on the U.S. government to brand Iran's Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization.

Ahmedinejad defends Iran's nuclear program

    UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad defended on Tuesday his country's nuclear program, saying "all our nuclear activities have been completely peaceful and transparent."

IAEA starts new round of talks with Iran

    TEHRAN, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Officials from the UN atomic watchdog on Monday started a new round of talks here with Iran over its disputed nuclear program, the state-run media reported.