BERLIN — Iran moved a step closer to U.N. sanctions yesterday, with a meeting of the five Security Council permanent members plus Germany making a “lot of progress” on ways of punishing Tehran for its nuclear defiance, a senior State Department official said.

Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said further discussions were needed on how harshly to penalize Tehran for its refusal to freeze uranium enrichment, as demanded by the Security Council. But “we’ve made a lot of progress … to push this along toward a sanctions resolution,” Mr. Burns said, speaking at the end of the talks.

The meeting came amid broad moves by key European nations to enlist world support in pressuring Iran to give up uranium enrichment.

In a confidential document obtained by the Associated Press and sent to dozens of capitals last week, Britain, France, and Germany warned that Tehran’s stalling tactics were an attempt “to split the international community.”

But it was marred by signs that France, a key American ally in pushing for firm U.N. action against Iran, might be wavering. While Iran has expressed a desire for negotiations, France and the five other nations offering Tehran a package of economic, political, and strategic rewards have insisted that it must suspend enrichment activities before talks can begin.

But French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy appeared to suggest yesterday that demand was negotiable, telling reporters: “The question is to know at what moment this suspension takes place compared to negotiations.”

Mr. Burns, in comments to reporters, dismissed suggestions of a split, saying all five permanent Security Council members insist that “Iran must [first] suspend its nuclear operations, its enrichment activities, and [only] then would we sit down and negotiate.”