Vienna, Austria ? Western powers have set July 12 as a deadline for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and agree to talks on its nuclear program or face the threat of U.N. Security Council sanctions, diplomats said Monday.

Beyond revealing the deadline, the diplomats also said Russia and China were closer than ever to supporting the West on U.N. Security Council action – including sanctions – if Tehran refuses a six-power package of incentives meant to wean it off nuclear enrichment.

The envoys – some of them senior U.N. diplomats, and all familiar with details of the six nations’ drive to persuade Iran to compromise on its nuclear activities – spoke just two days before a key Iran-European Union meeting in Brussels meant to make clear to the Iranians that their time is running out.

Senior EU envoy Javier Solana will urge top Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani on Wednesday to immediately commit his country to suspending enrichment and starting negotiations on the six-power package, the diplomats said.

If Iran fails to do so, the ministers will likely adopt a decision to resume negotiations on the Security Council resolution.