"The Europeans have to prepare the sanctions process," European Affairs Minister Pierre Lellouche told reporters after a meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels.
He said sanctions were needed because of "Iran's refusal of all offers of a solution" made by the West.
"We have been in talks for six years," Lellouche sighed. "All the West's proposals have been rejected and now if we listen to the Iranian spokesman they are reaching 20 per cent enrichment" of uranium in Iran, which is the "threshold to militarisation", he added.
"We hope Europeans will work together on preparing the sanctions," he underlined.
Three sets of United Nations Security Council sanctions have already been imposed on Iran over its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, which lies at the heart of international fears about the nature of its nuclear program.
The EU 3+3 – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States – met in New York earlier this month but failed to reach an agreement about new sanctions.