A draft UN Security Council resolution seeking fresh sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program is imminent, a French diplomat has said.

Foreign ministers of the five permanent Security Council members - the US, UK, France, China and Russia - plus Germany, meet in Berlin on Tuesday.

They are expected to agree the draft, which will be sent to the Security Council soon, the French diplomat said.

Tehran denies Western claims that it is planning to build a nuclear bomb.

The French diplomat, who did not want to be named, told reporters in Paris that a draft resolution was likely to be presented to the Security Council by the end of the month.

'Very balanced, very firm'

He said: "The ministers should reach agreement [on Tuesday] on a draft resolution to send to [UN headquarters] in New York. We are really very close to an agreement."

He did not go into details about the resolution but said it would be "very balanced, very firm".

China and Russia have questioned the need for more sanctions on Iran.

A US intelligence report last month said Tehran had stopped an alleged secret nuclear weapons program in 2003.

Tehran has repeatedly said penalties will not force it to halt its uranium enrichment.

Iran says it simply wants to generate electricity and denies claims by the White House and key allies that it is building a nuclear bomb.

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Bushehr nuclear reactor (archive)