USA: The Security Council warns Iran of serious consequences if it continues its nuclear ambitions and doesn't adhere to U.N. resolutions

Record ID: 1543251

  • Title: USA: The Security Council warns Iran of serious consequences if it continues its nuclear ambitions and doesn't adhere to U.N. resolutions
  • Date: 9th March 2007
  • Summary: EXTERIOR OF BRITISH MISSION
  • Embargoed: 24th March 2007 13:05
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAB1NKTU3GQILHEZ6EAMENNT1ER
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: The Security Council met in New York to discuss sticking points over a proposal for new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear ambitions. Russia and China have raised objections to nearly every Western proposal for new U.N. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear ambitions except a ban on arms exports, according to a working paper.
    The document, seen by Reuters on Thursday (March 8), shows some Russian and Chinese reservations about other proposals for a U.N. Security Council resolution.
    These include a mandatory travel ban, financial and trade restrictions and an expanded list of Iranian officials and firms whose assets would be frozen, such as those controlled by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and Iran's state-owned Bank Sepah, already under U.S. sanctions.
    In an effort to break the logjam, senior foreign policy officials from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China held another telephone conference on Thursday, followed by a meeting of U.N. ambassadors late in the day.
    "(There were) some new thoughts and I think some good progress, I think. But we still have to see how firm it is but it was a good exchange," said Vitaly Churkin, the U.N. Security Council ambassador from Russia.
    The U.S. ambassador to the Security Council said Thursday night's meeting was only to take stock but he reiterated the group's warning to Iran.
    "The ultimate objective is a shared one, to signal to the Iranian government that there is a cost for not adhering to resolutions, for not complying with their obligations and the cost increases each time they don't comply. And our objective is to resume political discussions so we can address this issue and resolve it through political track. This resolution like the last one is an effort to get us to that point. Thank you very much," said Alejandro Wolff, the U.N. Security Council ambassador from the U.S.
    The new resolution is a follow-up to one adopted by the Security Council on Dec. 23 that imposed trade sanctions on sensitive nuclear materials and technology and froze assets of key Iranians individuals, groups and businesses.
    Iran was required to suspend nuclear enrichment work, which can be used for peaceful purposes or to make a bomb, but Tehran has refused to do so.
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