Ambassadors agree on new sanctions against Iran
Ambassadors from six world powers have reached agreement in principle on a proposed new package of sanctions against Iran.
They expect to introduce a resolution to the UN Security Council in New York tomorrow if their governments give the green light.
Approval by the governments of the US, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany would be an important first step.
The package would still need to be considered by the 10 non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, which are elected for two-year terms and have not been part of the negotiations.
Nonetheless, an agreement by the five veto-wielding permanent members of the council and Germany would be a strong signal to the other council members of the unity of the key nations on the UN’s most powerful body and a sign that they want to send a united message to Iran to suspend uranium enrichment.
“We have an agreement in principle based on some additional changes that were introduced and presented today by some delegations,” said acting US Ambassador Alejandro Wolff .
“So it’s new elements and understandings that need confirmation from capitals, but it is a package approach that, if approved, would be essentially the way forward in a resolution.”
Iran insists its enrichment programme is peaceful and aimed solely at producing nuclear energy, but the US, European nations and the UN nuclear watchdog are concerned that Iran’s goal is to produce nuclear weapons.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday warned the West that it would deepen the rift with his country by imposing more UN sanctions.
In December, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to impose limited sanctions against Iran for its refusal to freeze uranium enrichment.
It ordered all countries to stop supplying Iran with materials and technology that could contribute to its nuclear and missile programmes and to freeze assets of 10 key Iranian companies and 12 individuals related to those programmes.
The council said it would consider further non-military sanctions if Iran refused to suspend enrichment. Iran’s response was to accelerate its enrichment programme.
The modest package of new measures agreed to by ambassadors from the six countries includes an embargo on Iranian arms exports and an asset freeze on more individuals and companies associated with Tehran’s nuclear and missile programmes, council diplomats said.
The new resolution would also call on all UN member states to exercise “vigilance and restraint” on arms imports and on the entry or transit through their territory of Iranians subject to the asset freeze, a council diplomat said.
