In what appears to be a last-ditch effort to force Tehran into accepting an IAEA draft proposal on fuel supply, Germany and Britain warn that world patience is running out with Iran.

One day after World powers threw their weight behind a draft resolution condemning Iran's nuclear program, German Foreign Minister Guido Wersterwelle said that although time is pressing, the West "still has its hand extended" for the Tehran government.

By an "extended hand," Wersterwelle was in fact referring to a take-it-or-leave-it offer by Western countries, which requires Iran to ship out most of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) to be further processed and then returned to the country for use in the Tehran research reactor.

Iranian officials rejected the UN proposal, first floated by the administration of US President Barack Obama, saying there are no guarantees that the country would in fact receive the fuel it requires.

Tehran says it is ready to accept the nuclear swap if it takes place within its own borders.

Wersterwelle added that "international patience with Iran is not unlimited" and he hoped the governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) managed to get the message across to Iran by passing the new resolution.

"We hope that the IAEA (board) can send a signal that Iran should indeed respond to the IAEA proposal as soon as possible. At the same time, we hope that this issue can be resolved through consultation," Wersterwelle noted.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband added voice to his new German counterpart, claiming that the new IAEA resolution shows the scope of international concern over Tehran's nuclear plans.

"Iran needs to understand the strength of feeling that has gone into the vote today," said Miliband. "[This] should send a very clear warning to Iran that it is not going to be able to divide the international community."

Iran's envoy to the UN nuclear watchdog rejected the resolution as a "hasty and undue" move and warned that the resolution will only introduce tension to the "spirit of cooperation."

"We expect the agency to play its essential role and facilitate technical cooperation … this environment of the agency should be depoliticized for we have to make sure that the agency will only focus on technical matters."

Soltaniyeh reiterated that the resolution will not stop Iran from going on with its enrichment activities but asserted that Iran was "determined" to continue cooperation with the IAEA. He also called on the West to lean towards cooperation rather than confrontation.

"In fact, over 200 hospitals whose patients are struggling with cancer are in need of radioisotopes. If they continue not to cooperate and supply the fuel, then the [Tehran] government has to look for other options," he said in an exclusive interview with Press TV.

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