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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| UN slaps fourth set of sanctions on Iran |
| 2010-06-10 |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] World powers slapped the fourth set of U.N. sanctions on Iran Wednesday hoping to persuade the Islamic republic to curb its suspect nuclear program by widening military and financial restrictions. The vote in the 15-member council was 12 in favor of the U.S.-drafted resolution, with Lebanon abstaining and Brazil and Turkey voting against. Iran will not halt its contested uranium enrichment activities in spite of the new UN sanctions, Tehran's envoy to the UN atomic watchdog responded. Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told state-owned Al-Alam Television that "the move towards the resolution was an incorrect step. It was neither constructive nor efficient in solving the issue. We think it will complicate the situation more." Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has threatened to suspend nuclear negotiations in response to what U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said are "the most significant sanctions that Iran has ever faced." The resolution, co-sponsored by Britain and France with the backing of Russia and China, expands an arms embargo and bans the country from sensitive activities like uranium mining. It authorizes states to conduct high-sea inspections of vessels believed to be ferrying banned items for Iran and adds 40 entities to a list of people and groups subject to travel restrictions and financial sanctions. The vote had been delayed for more than an hour after hold-outs Brazil, Turkey and Lebanon awaited instructions from their governments. The three countries finally decided to attend the meeting but insisted on speaking before the vote to register their opposition. The Security Council resolution was approved despite the sustained efforts of Brazil and Turkey to head off the measures and promote a nuclear fuel swap deal they reached with Tehran last month. The West has cold-shouldered that proposal, saying it did not allay fears that Tehran is using its contested nuclear drive as a cover to produce nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only. Four rounds of U.N. sanctions have now been imposed on Iran since December 2006. The third round was adopted on March 3, 2008. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Thanks to Brazil's Lula for selling out the Americas in favor of old world Persian Islamic tyranny. |
| Posted by: American Delight 2010-06-10 06:32 |