Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Mar. 05 Irans hard-line president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic would only negotiate with the United Nations nuclear watchdog over its controversial nuclear activities. Iran Focus
Tehran, Iran, Mar. 05 Irans hard-line president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic would only negotiate with the United Nations nuclear watchdog over its controversial nuclear activities.
From now on, our nuclear issue is with the [International Atomic Energy”> Agency only, and we will not negotiate with anyone other than the IAEA on the issue of Irans nuclear program, Ahmadinejad told reporters. His comments were carried by various state media including the official news agency IRNA.
The United Nations Security Council voted on Monday to impose a third set of sanctions on Iran over its refusal to halt its suspected nuclear weapons activity. A European-sponsored resolution was adopted at the 15-member Council by 14 votes in favour, none opposed, and one abstention from Indonesia.
Resolution 1803 increased the mild trade bans in effect on Iran to include certain goods with both civilian and military uses. Under the new sanctions, certain Iranian companies and banks will have their accounts frozen, and goods entering and leaving Iran will be subjected to inspections.
The Security Council previously imposed two sets of milder sanctions on Tehran in December 2006 and March 2007 over its refusal to halt its uranium enrichment activities which the West suspects is part of a nuclear weapons program.
The latest sanctions resolution was initially agreed on 22 January by the P5+1 states – Britain, France, Germany, the United States, Russia, and China and then slightly adjusted to suit the other 10 non-Permanent Members of the Security Council. Resolution 1803 builds on resolutions 1696, 1737 and 1747. Resolutions 1737 and 1747 imposed sanctions on Tehran.
In his remarks, Ahmadinejad lambasted the United Nations. The Security Council is not a world body; it is simply in the hands of certain special states, he said.
