TEHRAN, Sept. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- The European Union (EU) is preparing the third version of its draft resolution on Iran'snuclear case, in which the union mentions no referral of the case to the UN Security Council, the official IRNA news agency reportedon Friday.

    The EU was busy compiling a new draft resolution, which made "no direct or indirect reference" to sending Iran's case to the UN Security Council, an Arab diplomat at the International AtomicEnergy Agency (IAEA) told IRNA anonymously.

    "The EU hopes that its third draft, which has not yet beencompleted and distributed, will be welcomed by the Non-Aligned Movement countries, China and Russia," the diplomat was quoted assaying.

    However, the EU's third resolution still criticized Iran's "past functions" in its nuclear program, according to the diplomat.

    "The Europeans have threatened that if the pro-Iran coalitionopposes the new proposal, they will present their first draft,which calls for direct referral of Iran's nuclear case to the UNSecurity Council, to the IAEA Board of Governors for voting," headded.

    The EU on Tuesday submitted its first draft resolution on theIranian nuclear issue to the ongoing meeting of the IAEA Board ofGovernors, calling to refer the case to the UN Security Council.

    Due to extensive opposition within the IAEA, the EU has revisedthe resolution and delivered the second version on Thursday, inwhich the EU dropped its attempt to prompt an immediate referral.Enditem