Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis
Backgrounder: UN sanctions resolutions on Iran
by William M. Reilly
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| The United Nations Security Council holds a meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States, June 9, 2010. The UN Security Council on Wednesday passed a resolution to impose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) |
UNITED NATIONS, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Wednesday approved additional sanctions against Iran for failing to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on its nuclear development program.
The new measure, touted as "stronger," was approved 12-2 with Lebanon abstaining. Brazil and Turkey voted against the sanctions measure.
The two dissenting nations had agreed with Iran last month on a nuclear fuel swap to provide Tehran with enriched uranium for research and medical programs. The plan was developed in a bid to head off the very sanctions approved Wednesday.
Iran maintains its nuclear research program is strictly for peaceful uses while many nations fear it is really designed to produce a nuclear weapon.
The nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, of which Tehran is a signatory, guarantees members the right to explore the peaceful uses of nuclear power. But, Iran's history of hiding a nuclear program in the past, its failure to cooperate with the IAEA and its development of long-range missiles capable of carrying a nuclear weapon fueled the nuclear weapon fears and led to the resolution.
