Iran’s top nuclear negotiator today warned the country would halt all co-operation with the UN nuclear watchdog if the Security Council imposed sanctions.

A surge in oil prices last week to almost $70 a barrel on concerns about the restart of Iran’s nuclear programme only hints at what may lie ahead.

The UN atomic agency revealed today that Iran received black-market designs to encase weapons-grade uranium and diplomats said they appeared to be part of blueprints for a nuclear warhead.

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s board today approved a resolution that clears the way for referring Iran to the UN Security Council over its nuclear program.

The UN nuclear watchdog agency’s 35-nation board adopted a resolution Thursday expressing “serious concern” over Iran’s decision this week to resume uranium conversion – a process that some fear could be used to help build a bomb.

THE UN nuclear watchdog agency held an emergency meeting yesterday to assess Iran's resumption of uranium conversion.