Iran has tried in vain to prevent a Western push for a resolution against it at the U.N. nuclear watchdog's board meeting by offering to cap its stock of uranium just shy of weapons grade, the watchdog and diplomats said on Tuesday.

DUBAI (Reuters) - A resolution against Iran pushed for by three European powers at the UN nuclear watchdog board of governors meeting will "complicate matters", Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told his French counterpart, the foreign ministry said on its Telegram channel on Wednesday.

Iran has defied international demands to rein in its nuclear program and has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog seen Tuesday by The Associated Press.