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Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

BERLIN, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Germany welcomed a resolution passed by the United Nations Security Council on Saturday to impose sanctions on Iran over its controversial nuclear program.

The resolution, adopted unanimously by the Security Council, demanded that Iran "suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development," and "work on all heavy water-related projects."\

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was quoted by the German news agency DPA as saying that the unanimous nature of the resolution reinforced the importance of the move and demonstrated that the international community was prepared to come together to find a solution to the dispute over the Iranian nuclear issue.

The resolution 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.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the resolution represented an "important signal of the unanimity of the international community" on the issue.

Iran condemned the UN resolution as "an illegal measure taken outside the framework of its duty and against the UN Charter," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said in a statement.

Germany has been actively engaged in the mediation of the Iran nuclear row though it is not a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Earlier this year, it hosted a foreign ministers' meeting on Iran in Berlin, which drew top diplomats from the five permanent Security Council members -- the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France.

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.

Ordinary Iranians showed mixed feelings toward the resolution, with some considering it as "waging a war" and others shrugging it off as nothing serious.

UN Security Council unanimously passes resolution on Iran sanctions

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.

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.

"We don't think this resolution is enough in itself. We want the international community to take further action," U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns said after the U.N. Security Council passed the resolution on Iran for its defiance over its nuclear program.