The United States says six world powers have made progress on a new U.N. sanctions resolution aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear program and could begin drafting the text next week.

Representatives of Germany and the five permanent U.N. Security Council members, the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China, discussed the resolution in a conference call Thursday.

A U.S. State Department spokeswoman, Joanne Moore, said the representatives agreed to confer again by phone on Saturday.

Iran ignored a U.N. Security Council deadline last week to suspend uranium enrichment or face new U.N. sanctions, on top of those imposed in December.

The United States and its Western allies suspect Iran is working to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.