High-level talks on the Iranian nuclear stand-off will take place in London today.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will fly into London to join British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and representatives from France, Germany, Russia and China.
The so-called EU3+3 group will discuss the latest situation days after Britain warned it was ready to seek economic sanctions against the Tehran regime.
Talks between EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, failed to secure a suspension of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme.
A British official said on Tuesday that preparations were under way to table a draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council in New York under Article 41 of the UN Charter - which allows for economic sanctions.
"Unless there is a sudden unexpected change of heart by the Iranians, we can expect this to move to New York in the coming week or so," he said.
International efforts to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear programme have been continuing for the past three years. Tehran has already ignored a UN deadline of August 31st to suspend enrichment work.
The country's hardline president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has said he would not halt enrichment work for "one day".
AP