04 March 2008
The Security Council of the United Nations has tightened sanctions on Iran for refusing to halt nuclear fuel work.
This is the third set of economic and trade sanctions against Iran in 15 months. Fourteen of the council's 15 members voted in favor of Resolution 1803. Indonesia abstained during the vote which was presided over by Russia, which holds the council chair in March. Three non-permanent members, Libya, South Africa and Vietnam – which had joined Indonesia in expressing reservations about the need for fresh sanctions at a time when Iran was cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – voted in favor in the end.
After the vote, the six powers leading the drive to scale back Iran's nuclear ambitions issued a statement calling for new talks between EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran's nuclear negotiator. "We have asked Javier Solana to meet with Dr. Saeed Jalili, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council," the British UN ambassador John Sawers said on behalf of his country and China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.
The six countries reconfirmed and pledged to expand a 2006 offer of economic and trade incentives to Iran in exchange for a freeze of its uranium enrichment activities which the West fears is aimed at developing nuclear weapons. US State Department spokesman Tom Casey said his government was "pleased to see the Security Council has recognized the continuing threat posed by Iran's nuclear program through this vote on additional sanctions."
The Security Council vote came as IAEA chief Mohammed El Baradei pressed Iran to clear up allegations that it was involved in covert nuclear weapons work. "I urge Iran to be as active and as cooperative as possible in working with the agency to clarify this matter of serious concern," El Baradei told the IAEA's 35-member board of governors in Vienna.
The resolution gives Iran three months to comply with UN and IAEA demands to suspend uranium enrichment and reprocessing to help restore international confidence in the peaceful nature of its nuclear program or face new sanctions.
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