Reuters, Washington, 06 August 2008 (excerpts) – Major powers agreed to consider a fourth U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution against Iran because of its refusal to freeze sensitive nuclear work, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday.
“The P5+1 (major powers) are discussing next steps in the U.N. Security Council and beginning to consider possible outlines of another sanctions resolution,” State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said.

He spoke after major powers held a conference call to discuss next steps against Iran.
The so-called P5+1 consists of the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia — plus Germany.

The Associated Press reported on Wednesday: The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany agreed Wednesday to begin considering new sanctions on Iran after it failed to accept an incentives package meant to defuse the dispute over its nuclear program, a U.S. official said.

The decision came during a conference call between European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and senior diplomats from the six nations that offered the incentives, according to the official, who said there was a consensus that Iran’s latest reply to the offer was “disappointing” and “appears to be a stalling tactic.”