(UN) Sec. Council Set to OK Sanctions on Iran

[Behind the Aegis]

Source: Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Major powers expect unanimous approval Saturday of new U.N. Security Council sanctions to pressure Iran into suspending uranium enrichment.

The new measure comes after arduous negotiations that sought unity in meting out punishment against the Islamic country for its nuclear defiance.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who earlier said he wanted to address the council when it voted on the measure, canceled a trip to New York and was sending his foreign minister instead.

The six world powers that drafted the resolution spent Friday trying to overcome objections from several council members, reflecting concerns that anything short of consensus would undermine its efforts to send a strong message to Iran.



Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAN_NUCLEAR?SITE=INELK&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[TomClash]

1. Security Council approves new sanctions on Iran

Source: CNN

UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Saturday to impose new sanctions on Iran because of its refusal to suspend its uranium enrichment program.

Western nations, including the United States, contend Iran is using the project to develop nuclear weapons, but Iran says the program will only be for civilian use.

The new measures follow a resolution adopted December 23 that prohibited trade with Iran in nuclear materials and ballistic missiles. It also froze assets of individuals and institutions involved in Tehran's nuclear programs.

The sanctions, agreed on last week by the six Security Council countries with veto powers, would ban Iranian arms exports and freeze the assets of 28 additional individuals and organizations involved in Iran's nuclear and missile programs. About a third of those are linked to the Revolutionary Guard, an elite military corps.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/03/24/iran.nuclear/index.html

[BadgerKid]

2. Members

The Council is composed of five permanent members — China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States — and ten non-permament members (with year of term's end): Belgium (2008) Italy (2008) Qatar (2007) Congo (Republic of the) (2007) Panama (2008) Slovakia (2007) Ghana (2007) Peru (2007) South Africa (2008) Indonesia (2008)

http://www.un.org/sc/members.asp

This would imply Russia voted for sanctions (edit: unless they abstained), which I thought they were originally opposing. Should be interesting.

[cal04]

3. Key Elements of U.N. Resolution on Iran

The U.N. Security Council imposed new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, expanding on sanctions approved in December. The key points of the two measures:

LATEST RESOLUTION:

- A ban on Iranian arms exports and on any country buying Iranian weapons.

- A call on all nations ``to exercise vigilance and restraint'' in supplying tanks, combat aircraft and other heavy weapons to Iran.

- An asset freeze on 15 individuals and 13 organizations and companies.

- A call on all governments and financial institutions not to make any new commitments ``of grants, financial assistance, or concessional loans'' to the Iranian government.

- A call on all countries to exercise ``vigilance and restraint'' on the entry or transit through their territory of the individuals who provide support or are involved with Iran's nuclear activities.

- A requirement that all countries report the transit or entry of any of people whose assets have been frozen to the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against Iran.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6505826,00.html

[murray hill farm]

4. So what does it mean when the UN

"freezes the assets of an individuals or organizations"? Can they just keep a company or individual from their assets, their money, etc? How is it done? Is this in Iran...or anywhere?

[rayofreason]

5. UN backs fresh sanctions on Iran

Source: BBC

The 15-member panel's decision to back Resolution 1747 broadens the limited sanctions imposed in December 2006.

The new sanctions block Iranian arms exports and freeze the assets of individuals and companies involved in Iran's nuclear and missile programmes.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is purely peaceful in purpose.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6492139.stm

[Eugene]

6. Iran rejects U.N. vote on arms, financial sanctions

Source: Reuters

Iran rejects U.N. vote on arms, financial sanctions

By Evelyn Leopold
38 minutes ago

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Iran rejected a repeated demand
by the U.N. Security Council to suspend uranium enrichment work
after the 15-nation body imposed arms and financial sanctions
on Tehran.

At the same time, major powers, who drafted the resolution passed
on Saturday, immediately offered new talks and renewed their offer
of an economic and technological incentive package.

But the sanctions would stay in place until Iran halts the enrichment
of uranium and the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, which can be
used to make a bomb or to generate electricity.

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, who planned to hold
a news conference on Sunday, told the Security Council after the
unanimous vote that the council had been abused and manipulated
by some of its members to take "unjustifiable action" against a
peaceful nuclear program.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070325/ts_nm/iran_nuclear_dc