Special Report: Iran Nuclear
Crisis
UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 26 (Xinhua)
-- The UN Security Council began consultations on Thursday afternoon on
a draft resolution, which intends to impose sanctions on Iran for its unyielding
nuclear program.
The United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and
Germany held closed consultation at the British UN mission to
seek
common position on the draft Security Council resolution, which was circulated
on Tuesday night by the three European countries among the five permanent
members of the council.
The European draft would invoke Article 41 under
Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which calls for enforcement of sanctions but
excludes military action.
According to the draft, a copy of which is obtained
by Xinhua, it would ban Iranian trade on nuclear materials and ballistic
missile.
It also provides for a freeze on assets related to
Iran's nuclear and missile programs as well as travel bans on nuclear and
weapons scientists involved in those programs.
The UN Security Council passed a resolution in July,
demanding that Iran halt its controversial nuclear program by Aug. 31 or face
possible sanctions. However, Iran has so far failed to comply with the
resolution.
Related:
China says new UN draft should help
resolve Iran nuke issue peacefully
BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The new UN draft
resolution should help resolve the Iran nuclear issue peacefully, said Chinese
foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao on Thursday.
China has always supported international
non-proliferation mechanisms and expects no more turbulence in the Middle East,
Liu said at a regular press conference. Full story>>
