France said on Friday it wanted to reach a deal on new sanctions against Iran at the UN Security Council but indicated it might also push for separate European Union measures against Tehran.

The shift signals France's impatience with Iran, and its desire that the five permanent Security Council members plus Germany agree quickly on a third round of UN sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program.

France also struck a more hawkish tone than Germany, which diplomats say believes new sanctions may not be necessary if Iran cooperates with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"We wish to have new sanctions adopted, as a priority in the U.N. Security Council," foreign ministry spokesman Frederic Desagneaux told a regular news conference.

"But we remind you that there are already measures taken outside that framework, in the framework of the European Union," he added...

...The United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany have been ratcheting up pressure on Tehran to halt its programme and cooperate more with UN inspectors.

But European diplomats have told Reuters Germany wants to delay any fresh sanctions to give a chance to an Aug. 21 deal between Iran and the IAEA that is meant to bring transparency to Iran's nuclear programme...

...China is generally reluctant to back UN sanctions. Iran was the country's third largest supplier of crude oil in the year through July, providing over 12 percent of China's imports and behind only Saudi Arabia and Angola...