(Adds U.S. reaction, diplomats, details) By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Senior diplomats from Britain, France, Germany, the United States, China and Russia will meet in Washington on Monday to discuss next steps regarding Iran's nuclear program, Western diplomats said. The diplomats spoke on Friday after the release of the U.N. nuclear watchdog's new report on Iran's atomic program. On Thursday, France and Britain formally submitted a third sanctions resolution against Iran to the U.N. Security Council, on which they hope for a vote next week. Among the issues the political directors -- high-ranking diplomats -- from the six powers will discuss in Washington is the timing of a sanctions vote at the Security Council, diplomats told Reuters on condition of anonymity. U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said of the revised draft resolution on Iran: "We are going to be pushing for a vote as soon as we can possibly get one." U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, told reporters he hoped for a vote next Friday. McCormack said the United States would work with other countries to answer their questions "and garner as many votes in support of the resolution as we can." Kate Starr, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, said based on a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United States was "disappointed" with Iran's failure to fully comply with its obligations and would continue a push for further sanctions. The IAEA report, issued in Vienna and submitted to the Security Council, confirmed that Iran has forged ahead with its enrichment program, which Tehran says is part of a peaceful atomic program that it will only use to generate electricity. Western countries fear Tehran could use the program to produce atomic weapons. "This (IAEA) report shows that unfortunately a third sanctions resolution is necessary," a Western diplomat from a council member state said. The United States, which supports the resolution drafted by Britain, France and Germany, had hoped it would be passed weeks ago. But council members South Africa, Indonesia and Libya insisted they delay a vote until after the IAEA issued its report. The draft resolution, obtained by Reuters, calls among other things for asset freezes and mandatory travel bans for specific Iranian officials. It also expands the list of Iranian officials and companies targeted by the sanctions and repeats the council's demand that Iran halt its nuclear enrichment program. (Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell in Washington, editing by Vicki Allen)
Smoke billows from a chimney at a chemical factory in Tianjin municipality, neighbouring Beijing February 22, 2008. China has ordered Beijing and five surrounding provinces to cut industrial pollution for two ...
