TORONTO—Canada is urging the United Nations to impose further sanctions on Iran for disregarding agreements surrounding its nuclear program.
On Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said Canada endorsed a new U.N. draft resolution regarding sanctions on Iran.
“Canada welcomes progress on the sanctions brought forward to the U.N. Security Council and encourages all members to work together to deliver a sanctions resolution that will take Iran to task for its continued disregard of obligations under International Atomic Energy Agency and U.N. Security Council resolutions,” he said.
Cannon said Iran had to address the concerns of the international community about its nuclear program.
“We remain concerned about the potential military links to Iran’s nuclear program, and Iran has made no attempt to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions,” he said.
Cannon added that Canada “strongly supports” more sanctions via the U.N. Security Council. “We will work with our allies to encourage effective responses to the threat that Iran poses to international peace and security,” he noted.
While Canada and the rest of the G8 is backing a U.S.-drafted U.N. resolution that would hit Iran with a new round of sanctions for pursuing uranium-enrichment activities, Turkey and Brazil have voiced disappointment. The two countries recently reached a deal with Iran to have the country ship a significant portion of its uranium stockpile to Turkey.
While Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was hailed in some newspapers as a master dealmaker for the arrangement, the United States, Britain and France said it did not go far enough and Iran had too often broken similar deals in the past.
Both Brazil and Turkey are among the 10 nonpermanent members of the U.N. Security Council but only permanent members have veto power. All five permanent members—the United States, Britain, France, Russia, and China—have said they support the resolution, which would require nine votes out of the 15-seat council to pass.
Current sanctions against Iran have kept U.S. companies and others from investing or exporting there, putting a significant damper on the economy. Iran suffers from an inefficient state-controlled economy, which gets most of its revenue from declining oil exports.
On Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said Canada endorsed a new U.N. draft resolution regarding sanctions on Iran.
“Canada welcomes progress on the sanctions brought forward to the U.N. Security Council and encourages all members to work together to deliver a sanctions resolution that will take Iran to task for its continued disregard of obligations under International Atomic Energy Agency and U.N. Security Council resolutions,” he said.
Cannon said Iran had to address the concerns of the international community about its nuclear program.
“We remain concerned about the potential military links to Iran’s nuclear program, and Iran has made no attempt to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions,” he said.
Cannon added that Canada “strongly supports” more sanctions via the U.N. Security Council. “We will work with our allies to encourage effective responses to the threat that Iran poses to international peace and security,” he noted.
While Canada and the rest of the G8 is backing a U.S.-drafted U.N. resolution that would hit Iran with a new round of sanctions for pursuing uranium-enrichment activities, Turkey and Brazil have voiced disappointment. The two countries recently reached a deal with Iran to have the country ship a significant portion of its uranium stockpile to Turkey.
While Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was hailed in some newspapers as a master dealmaker for the arrangement, the United States, Britain and France said it did not go far enough and Iran had too often broken similar deals in the past.
Both Brazil and Turkey are among the 10 nonpermanent members of the U.N. Security Council but only permanent members have veto power. All five permanent members—the United States, Britain, France, Russia, and China—have said they support the resolution, which would require nine votes out of the 15-seat council to pass.
Current sanctions against Iran have kept U.S. companies and others from investing or exporting there, putting a significant damper on the economy. Iran suffers from an inefficient state-controlled economy, which gets most of its revenue from declining oil exports.
Friends Read Free