U.S. Vice President Joe Biden says he expects the United Nations will impose a new round of sanctions against Iran for its nuclear defiance by the beginning of next month.
In an appearance Thursday on a U.S. television talk show, Biden said China will agree to the sanctions.
He said the world for the first time is unified that Iran is out of line regarding its nuclear program.
China, which has close trade ties with Iran, has been reluctant to impose tough sanctions against Tehran.
U.N. diplomats are conducting closed-door negotiations on a fourth sanctions resolution against Iran for its refusal to stop enriching uranium, a process that can be used to make nuclear weapons.
Iran says its atomic program is for peaceful purposes.
Biden also said Thursday that Israel has agreed to wait and see the potential impact of new sanctions before considering a military strike on Iran.
Israel considers Iran a threat and has not ruled out a preemptive military strike against the Islamic republic because of its nuclear program.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for Israel to be "wiped off the map."
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.