Reuters: The British envoy to Tehran on Sunday requested access to 15 detained British naval personnel who Iran says entered Iranian waters illegally despite Britain’s insistence they were in Iraqi territory, a diplomat said.
UK envoy seeks access to detained sailors in Iran
President snubs UN vote on sanctions
Sunday Telegraph: The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, last night snubbed the United Nations Security Council vote on tighter sanctions against his country, accusing the US of making it impossible for him to attend, writes Gethin Chamberlain.
U.N. Council imposes sanctions on Iran
Reuters: The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously on Saturday to impose new sanctions on Iran for its nuclear ambitions by targeting Tehran’s arms exports, state-owned bank and elite Revolutionary Guards. Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki immediately rejected the council’s demand to suspend uranium enrichment, which can be used for making bombs and to general electricity.
Key elements of U.N. resolution on Iran
The U.N. Security Council imposed new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, expanding on sanctions approved in December. The key points of the new measures:
– A ban on Iranian arms exports and on any country buying Iranian weapons.
– A call on all nations “to exercise vigilance and restraint” in supplying tanks, combat aircraft and other heavy weapons to Iran.
– An asset freeze on 15 individuals and 13 organizations and companies.
– A call on all governments and financial institutions not to make any new commitments “of grants, financial assistance, or concessional loans” to the Iranian government.
– A call on all countries to exercise “vigilance and restraint” on the entry or transit through their territory of the individuals who provide support or are involved with Iran’s nuclear activities.
– A requirement that all countries report the transit or entry of any of people whose assets have been frozen to the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against Iran.
Fisherman says saw Britons detained in Iraqi waters
Reuters: An Iraqi fisherman who said he saw Iranian forces detain British sailors and marines on Friday in a waterway between Iraq and Iran said on Saturday the ship British forces were searching was anchored in Iraqi waters.
Security Council unanimously adopts further sanctions on Iran
Iran Focus: London, Mar. 24 The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Saturday imposing further sanctions on Iran over its failure to suspend uranium enrichment activities as the Council and the UN nuclear watchdog had demanded.
Security Council unanimously adopts further sanctions on Iran
Iran Focus: London, Mar. 24 The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Saturday imposing further sanctions on Iran over its failure to suspend uranium enrichment activities as the Council and the UN nuclear watchdog had demanded.
EU urges Iran to free 15 U.K. sailors, marines ‘without delay’
Bloomberg: The European Union called for the release of 15 British sailors and Marines seized by Iran yesterday in Iraqi waters, according to German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Sec. Council set to ok sanctions on Iran
AP: Major powers expect unanimous approval Saturday of new U.N. Security Council sanctions to pressure Iran into suspending uranium enrichment.
India says won’t be pressured on Iran gas pipeline
Reuters: India will not be pressured into cancelling its plans to buy natural gas from Iran through a pipeline, Oil Minister Murli Deora said on Saturday.
