The Security Council adopted the measures under Article 41 of Chapter Seven of the UN Charter, which provides for sanctions but does not authorise military action.
The resolution, drafted by Britain, France, and Germany, targets Tehran’s nuclear industry and ballistic missile program.
The council ordered all member states of the UN to prevent the supply, sale, or transfer of all material and technology which could contribute to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The U.S. and its European allies had been involved in intense diplomatic manoeuvring for weeks to get the backing of Russia and China, who both have major commercial ties with Iran.
This was the first-ever sanction resolution on Iran which is now one of only 11 countries in the world to be facing a UN embargo.
The council gave Tehran two months to suspend its uranium enrichment activities and heavy water-related projects or face further measures.
Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States are permanent members of the 15-member Security Council and have veto power.
The council, currently presided over by Qatar, also includes Argentina, Denmark, Ghana, Greece, Japan, Peru, the Republic of the Congo, Slovakia, and Tanzania.
