The US is pushing the European Union into imposing new sanctions against Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program, a senior US official says.

Robert Einhorn, the US State Department coordinator for Iran sanctions, said he held meetings in Brussels with EU officials on Tuesday to discuss measures being drafted against Iran.

“What we hope is that stronger measures on the pressure side, on the sanctions side will give leaders in Iran strong incentives to come to the negotiating table and work with us on a solution to the nuclear issue,” AFP quoted Einhorn as saying.

“We very much welcome the declaration that was adopted on June 17 by the European Council,” he added.

While the US has asked for even more pressure on Iran, EU leaders in a European Council summit held in Brussels on June 17, have already approved new sanctions against Iran that include a ban on new investment, technical assistance and technology transfers to Iran’s huge gas and oil industry, particularly for refining and liquefied natural gas.

Tehran has repeatedly declared that it will not give up the legitimate nuclear rights of the Iranian nation under Western pressure.

While the US possesses and has used nuclear weapons in the past, Washington, in a politically-motivated move, is imposing unilateral sanctions against Iran, which does not possess nuclear weapons nor does it seek to develop such weapons.