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The UN Security Council voted
unanimously to pass a resolution imposing sanctions against Iran over its
controversial nuclear activities at UN's New York headquarters, Dec. 23,
2006.(Xinhua Photo/Zhao Peng)
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Special report:
Iran Nuclear
Crisis
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security
Council voted unanimously on Saturday to pass a resolution imposing sanctions
against Iran over its controversial nuclear activities.
The resolution, which followed weeks of negotiations,
demanded that Iran "suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities,
including research and development," and "work on all heavy water-related
projects."
It also called on all states to impose a ban on trade
with Iran in goods related to its nuclear programs and ballistic missile
delivery systems.
It also demanded that "all states shall freeze the
funds, other financial assets and economic resources" owned or controlled by
officials and companies in the country's nuclear and missile programs.
The resolution called on all states to monitor and
notify a Security Council sanctions panel of the entry or transit through their
territory of Iranians involved in the country's nuclear and missile programs.
The resolution asked the head of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to submit a report within 60 days on Iran's
compliance with the council's demands.
It warned that, if Iran refuses to comply, the
council "shall adopt further appropriate measures under Article 41 of Chapter
Seven" of the UN charter, which implies only economic sanctions.
In explanatory remarks following the vote, China's
ambassador Wang Guangya said sanctions are not the end but a means to urge Iran
to return to negotiations.
"There are also explicit provisions indicating that
if Iran suspends its enrichment related and reprocessing activities, and
complies with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and meets the
requirement of the IAEA, the Security Council shall suspend and even terminate
the sanction measures," Wang said.
U.S. Acting Ambassador Alejandro Wolff called for
Iran's unconditional and immediate compliance with the resolution, warning that
it would not hesitate to return to that body for further action if Iran failed
to take the necessary steps to comply.
Iran's UN Ambassador Javad Zarif rejected the
resolution, accusing some governments of pushing the council to take "groundless
punitive measures against Iran's peaceful nuclear program," while turning a deaf
ear to Israel's nuclear program.
"It is indisputable that nuclear weapons in the hands
of the Israeli regime with an unparalleled record of noncompliance with Security
Council resolutions ... poses a uniquely grave threat to regional and
international peace and security," Zarif said.
"The same governments which have pushed this council
to take groundless punitive measures against Iran's peaceful nuclear program
have systematically prevented it from taking any action to nudge the Israeli
regime towards submitting itself to the rules governing the nuclear
nonproliferation regime," Zarif added.
The resolution was a reaction to Iran's failure to
comply with an earlier text passed in late July demanding it to suspend uranium
enrichment by Aug. 31.
The United States and its European allies have
accused Tehran of engaging in enrichment activities which are ultimately aimed
at producing nuclear weapons. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful
purposes only.
Related:
Iran's president dismisses UN
resolution as "trash paper"
TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad on Sunday dismisses the newly-adopted UN Security Council resolution
that imposes sanctions on Tehran as a piece of "trash paper," the local Fars
News Agency reported. <<
Iran to install 3,000 centrifuges
TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran says it will begin
installing 3,000 centrifuges at a uranium enrichment plant as of Sunday in
response to a U.N. Security Council resolution, the Kayhan newspaper said. <<
Iran defies UN resolution, vowing to continue nuclear
plans
TEHRAN, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Saturday defied a UN
Security Council resolution that imposes sanctions on Tehran as an "illegal
measure," vowing to push ahead with its nuclear plans. <<
Iran threatens to change level of cooperation with
IAEA
TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Sunday threatened to
change the level of its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) after the UN Security Council passed a resolution that imposes sanctions
on Tehran. <<
Iran denounces UN resolution as
illegal
TEHRAN, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Saturday condemned a
UN Security Council resolution on Iran as an illegal measure, Iran's state
television reported. <<
U.S. wants more int'l action on
Iran
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The United States said on
Saturday that the U.N. Security Council resolution on Iran is not enough, urging
the international community to take more action against the Islamic country. <<
