The UN Security Council has voted to impose a third set of sanctions on Iran over its refusal to suspend its nuclear power program.

A resolution sponsored by Britain, France and Germany won the backing of 14 of the council's 15 members. Indonesia abstained.

International powers have said Iran is seeking to use the program to develop nuclear weapons, an allegation denied by Tehran.

The move came as the UN's atomic monitoring body pressed Iran to deal with allegations of secret nuclear weapons work.

Mohammed ElBaradei, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said: "I urge Iran to be as active and as co-operative as possible in working with the agency to clarify this matter of serious concern."

Iran has ignored three previous Security Council resolutions demanding it freeze its uranium enrichment program, which can produce fuel for both nuclear power plants or atomic weapons.

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 Al-Jazeera