The New York Times first reported Tuesday that Ivanov had told Tash there would be no such deliveries until his country agreed to freeze enrichment.

Russian officials, however, denied using Bushehr as a lever.

Asked whether Ivanov had set Tash such an ultimatum, Vitaly Churkin, Moscow's chief envoy to the council, said there was no link between the Bushehr project and council resolutions meant to punish Tehran.

"There have been no Russia ultimatums to Iran of any kind, and we continue to regard the Bushehr project as something that is outside of the scope" both of the resolution now in effect and of a draft being discussed that would sharpen penalties, he told reporters.

He said the fuel for Bushehr had not been delivered because it is linked to a construction timetable.

"We are still working on it," he said of the differences between Moscow and Tehran. "But we are not linking it to our discussions here in New York on Security Council resolutions and concerns associated with the Iranian nuclear program."

Asked whether Russia had been talking to Iran about suspending enrichment, he said, "There is no question we have been talking to them.

"We have certain concerns over the Iranian nuclear program. We are talking very frankly and openly with them about it," Churkin said, adding that if the issue of Tehran's enrichment ambitions is resolved, relations between Russia and Iran "have a brilliant future."

In December, the Security Council voted to impose limited sanctions on Iran for its refusal to freeze uranium enrichment.

It ordered all countries to stop supplying Iran with materials and technology that could contribute to its nuclear and missile programs and to freeze assets of 10 key Iranian companies and 12 individuals related to those programs.

Iran responded by expanding its enrichment program.

Proposed new sanctions in a draft resolution before the council would ban Iranian arms exports and freeze the assets of 28 additional individuals and organizations involved in its nuclear and missile programs. The package also calls for restrictions on travel, arms sales and financial aid.

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