UNITED NATIONS (AP) – Britain and France on Friday delayed a U.N. Security Council vote on new sanctions against Iran while they try to get more support for the resolution.

The two countries co-sponsored the resolution that would impose a third round of sanctions on Iran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment. They are seeking the same unanimous vote they got in the first two rounds – or close to it.

The vote, which had been expected on Saturday, has been put off until Monday morning.

“We think the wider the base of support, the clearer the political signal” sent to Iran, Britain’s U.N. Ambassador John Sawers said Thursday.

Four non-permanent council members – Libya, Indonesia, South Africa and Vietnam – have raised a variety of concerns about the resolution. Council diplomats involved in the negotiations said Friday that progress was being made, though it was still uncertain whether any of those countries would vote “yes.”

The sponsors have more than the nine “yes” votes needed for the 15-member council to adopt the resolution.

The resolution was circulated in its final final form late Friday and there were no major changes, except to more prominently mention Iran’s progress in resolving outstanding issues about its nuclear program with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog.

One question raised by the countries that are still wavering about the resolution was why new sanctions are needed when Iran is cooperating with the IAEA – even if it hasn’t yet suspended enrichment.

The resolution would impose new sanctions against Iran for continuing to defy Security Council demands that it suspend enrichment, a process that can produce fuel for nuclear reactors that generate electricity and for nuclear weapons.

Iran insists its enrichment activities are intended only for peaceful civilian purposes, but the U.S., the European Union and others suspect its real aim is to produce atomic weapons.

The draft resolution would expand travel restrictions and the freezing of assets to more Iranian officials linked to the nuclear effort. It also would ban trade with Iran in goods which have both civilian and military uses and introduce financial monitoring on two banks with suspected links to proliferation activities.

The resolution also would authorize inspections of shipments to and from Iran that are suspected of carrying prohibited goods.

AP-ES-02-29-08 2145EST