EU nations postponed a decision on Monday about imposing new sanctions on Iran, said EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, contradicting remarks from a senior US official.
"The decision has not been taken today," EU told journalists after a meeting of European foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
EU nations said at the end of May that they were ready to approve new sanctions against Iran, targetting in particular Iran's Bank Melli by banning its offices in Hamburg, Paris and London from operating.
Those sanctions must still be approved, but no decision was taken on Monday about them, Solana's spokeswoman Cristina Gallach said.
The EU decided to "wait a bit" to know Tehran's response to cooperation offer that Solana presented on Saturday in the Iranian capital, diplomats said.
The new proposal, drafted by six world powers, offers talks on a range of technological and economic incentives if Iran suspends sensitive uranium enrichment activities.
"We are hoping for an answer soon," Solana said.
Earlier White House national security advisor Stephen Hadley told reporters that EU foreign ministers would announce new sanctions against Iran Monday.
"You're going to hear, as the (British) prime minister (Gordon Brown) indicated, an expectation that out of … the EU foreign ministers' meeting there will be an announcement of new sanctions on Iran," Hadley told reporters.
He was travelling with US President George W. Bush as they flew to Northern Ireland on a final stop of a European tour after talks in London with Brown.
"If the Iranian regime does not change policy and accept the offer that's extended to them it will be very clear from the EU statement this afternoon that they will place new sanctions on Iran," he said.
After talks with Bush in London, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Europe was to agree new sanctions against Iran on Monday, including freezing the assets of Melli Bank.
