The UN Security Council unanimously adopted on Saturday a new resolution with tougher sanctions to pressure Iran to suspend uranium enrichment activities.

Resolution 1747, cosponsored by Britain, France, and Germany and incorporating some of the amendments proposed by Indonesia, Qatar and South Africa, urges Iran to suspend uranium enrichment work "without further delay."

The new sanctions, moderately harsher than those included in previous resolutions on the Iranian nuclear issue, call for a ban of Iranian arms exports, a freeze of assets of an additional 28 individuals and entities involved in Iran's nuclear and missile programs.

In the previous resolution, adopted last December, the Security Council ordered all countries to stop supplying Iran with materials and technology that could contribute to its nuclear and missile programs.

The new resolution calls for voluntary restrictions on travel by the individuals subject to sanctions, on arms sales to Iran, and on new financial assistance or loans to the Iranian government.

It asks the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to report back in 60 days on whether Iran has suspended enrichment work.

In addition to threats of further measures if Iran does not suspend enrichment activities at then end of the 60-day period, the new resolution also retains a package of economic incentives and political rewards if Tehran does comply with Security Council demands.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, addressing the council after the vote, defended Tehran's nuclear program as for civilian use and rejected the new resolution as a "scheme" aimed at "depriving the Iranian people of its inalienable rights."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been scheduled to address the council, but canceled the trip to New York, citing U.S.failure to issue visa for him and his entourage in time. Washington said it had issued the visa promptly.

"Iran does not seek confrontation, nor does it want anything beyond its inalienable rights," Mottaki said. "I can assure you that intimidation will not change Iranian policy."

The unanimous adoption of the new resolution "reflects the international community's profound concerns over Iran's nuclear program," said a joint statement by the foreign ministers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, which was read by British Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry after the vote.

"We deplore Iran's failure to comply with the earlier resolutions of the Security Council and the IAEA, and we call upon Iran once again to comply fully with all its international obligations," the statement said.

"We are committed to seeking a negotiated solution that would address the international community's concerns," the statement said. "The purpose of negotiations would be to reach a comprehensive agreement with Iran, based on mutual respect, which would re-establish international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program and open the way to improve relations and developing wider cooperation between Iran and all our countries."

The statement recognizes Iran's rights under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in conformity with its NPT obligations.

It urged Iran to take the opportunity to "find a negotiated way forward."

"Our proposals would bring far-reaching benefits to Iran and to the region, and they provide a means to address the international community's concerns while taking account of Iran's legitimate interests," the statement said. "We propose further talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran to see if a mutually acceptable way can be found to open negotiations."

Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya, in his address to the council after the vote, stressed that "China has all along supported safeguarding the international nuclear non-proliferation mechanism and opposed the proliferation of nuclear weapons."

"We do not wish to see new turbulences in the Middle East," Wang said. "We are in favor of a peaceful solution to Iran's nuclear issue through political and diplomatic efforts and negotiations."

Describing the development of Iran's nuclear issue as "worrisome," Wang expressed disappointment at Tehran's failure to respond positively to the requests of the IAEA and the Security Council.

"Under such circumstances, we support the Security Council in taking further and appropriate actions to urge the Iranian side to suspend enrichment-related activities, in order to bring the process back to the negotiation track," Wang said.

He emphasized that the new resolution is not to punish Iran but to urge Tehran to return to the negotiations and reactivate diplomatic efforts.

"The relevant sanction measures should neither harm the Iranian people nor affect normal economic, trade and financial exchanges between Iran and other countries," Wang said.

He stressed that diplomatic talks remain the best way to address the Iranian nuclear issue.

"It is impossible to resolve the issue fundamentally by imposing sanctions and pressure only," he said. "We wish to call upon all the parties concerned to adopt a highly responsible and constructive attitude, keep calm, practice restraint, and refrain from any actions that may lead to deterioration or escalation of the tension."