PARIS —The French foreign minister said yesterday that Iran would face U.N. sanctions for refusing to halt its nuclear program but that major world powers remain divided over their extent.

“The question is about the scope of sanctions, but there will be sanctions,” Philippe Douste-Blazy said on RTL radio. His ministry said Tuesday that closed-door talks in Paris had made “substantive progress” but failed to reach an accord on a resolution to punish Iran for defying demands that it cease enriching uranium.

Iran’s hard-line president threatened to downgrade relations with the 25-nation European Union if tough sanctions emerged from the talks among diplomats from the permanent Security Council members — America, Britain, China, France, and Russia — as well as Germany and the European Union.

After months of diplomatic wrangling, America and France had hoped Tuesday’s talks would produce a resolution imposing sanctions on Iran for defying an August 31 U.N. deadline to halt enrichment. Western powers accuse Iran of seeking nuclear bombs, while Tehran insists it only wants civilian nuclear energy.

Still, a top European diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks, said Russia, which has sided with Iran on many points, made some concessions at Tuesday’s talks. The Russians agreed to a measure prohibiting financial transfers to “problematic” Iranians linked to nuclear or ballistic missile programs, the diplomat said.

Russia still opposes the broader asset freeze that Britain, France, and Germany proposed in a draft U.N. resolution presented in October, the diplomat said.

The discussions now move to the United Nations in New York. The Americans and Europeans are pushing for a resolution by the end of the year.