Hillary Clinton, US secretary of state, turned the diplomatic tables on Iran yesterday when she announced agreement among the world's major powers on fresh sanctions against Tehran.

Her statement came only a day after Iran agreed to export most of its stockpile of low- enriched uranium to neighbouring Turkey, a move seen in Washington as a bid to derail agreement on new sanctions. Suggesting Tehran had succeeded in doing just that, China initially gave a warm welcome to the deal to send 1,200kg of low-enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for nuclear fuel to power a civilian reactor. But Mrs Clinton told the Senate foreign relations committee the US had agreed a draft UN resolution imposing penalties on Iran with the other four permanent members of the Security Council, as well as Germany.

“I am pleased to announce to this committee we have reached agreement on a strong draft with the co-operation of both Russia and China.” She added the US would proceed to circulate this draft to all 15 members of the Security Council.