Iran Focus
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, reiterated that no new international proposal would be considered by Tehran if it included a provision that Iran suspends uranium enrichment, state television quoted him as saying on Wednesday. He was referring to a possible future incentives package to be offered to Tehran by the United Nations’ P5+1 states – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.
A meeting of political directors of the P5+1 group of nations in Shanghai on Wednesday failed to reach any agreement over future incentives which may be offered to Tehran to end its nuclear defiance.
The UN Security Council voted in March 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 must 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 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.
