Saturday's resolution "shows the concern and the unity of the international community faced with Iran's nuclear programme," the French foreign ministry said in a statement that urged Iran to comply with the UN text.

But Paris also "reaffirms its determination to work with its partners on new sanctions to increase the pressure on Iran if it continues to ignore its international obligations."

The Security Council unanimously adopted the resolution urging Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment work but offering no new sanctions and merely reaffirming existing ones.

The United States and its European allies had pushed for new, tougher sanctions against Tehran but ran into resistance from Russia and China.

The West and Israel have accused Iran of using its nuclear programme as a cover to build nuclear arms. But Tehran insists its programme is strictly peaceful and solely aimed at generating electricity.

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