UN approves new sanctions on Iran

[Zirwaan Khan]

UN approves new sanctions on Iran

IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei - 3 March 2008

The UN's nuclear agency says it has "serious concerns" about Iran

The UN Security Council has voted in favour of new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme.

Fourteen of the council's 15 members voted for a fresh round of punitive measures in addition to those imposed in 2006 and 2007. Indonesia abstained.

Western powers suspect Iran may be developing nuclear weapons, but Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful power generation only.

Tehran has refused to comply with demands that it stop enriching uranium.

Uranium enrichment is a possible precursor to building an atomic bomb.

The third sanctions resolution - formally submitted by France and Britain - calls for asset freezes and mandatory travel bans for specific Iranian officials.




It also expands the list of Iranian officials and companies targeted by the sanctions.

The five permanent members of the council - France, Britain, China, the US and Russia - all supported the resolution.

The non-permanent members - none of whom possesses the power of veto - all backed it, except Indonesia, which abstained.

In a statement before the vote, Iran's envoy to the UN, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, called the resolution "politically motivated" and insisted Iran's nuclear programme "has been, is, and will remain absolutely peaceful".

'Forged'

The UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, reported in February that Iran had cleared up most of the outstanding questions regarding its past nuclear activities.

But the IAEA has criticised Iran for refusing to clarify remaining questions about intelligence suggesting Tehran may have been exploring ways to "weaponise" nuclear materials.

Mr Soltanieh dismissed the intelligence as "forged and fabricated".

He said in Vienna after a meeting of the IAEA's 35-nation board that "all the outstanding issues have been concluded".

Earlier on Monday, IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei called on Iran "to be as active and co-operative as possible in working with the agency" to resolve the issue.