NEW YORK—The United Nations Security Council approved on Wednesday a resolution imposing a new round of sanctions against Iran for continuing its nuclear program.
The fourth round of sanctions in as many years was endorsed by 12 countries in the 15-member council.
President Barack Obama said the American-sponsored resolution imposed “the toughest sanctions ever faced by the Iranian government and it sends an unmistakable message about the international community’s commitment to stopping the spread of nuclear weapons.”
Brazil and Turkey, who have been trying to broker a diplomatic solution to avoid sanctions, voted against the resolution. Lebanon abstained.
Brazil and Turkey signed a deal last month with Tehran to allow Iran to ship low-enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for higher-grade enriched uranium that Iran says it will use in a medical research reactor.
Brazil’s U.N. Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti reiterated her country’s view that the sanctions are punitive and not as constructive as a diplomatic solution.
“Sanctions will most probably lead to the suffering of the people of Iran and will play into the hands of those on all sides that do not want dialogue to prevail,” Viotti told the Security Council.
Susan E. Rice, U.S. permanent representative to the U.N. says she expects the sanctions will have a strong impact on Iran, “which is why Iran has worked so hard to try to prevent its adoption.”
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, however, had the opposite reaction.
“Sanctions are falling on us from the left and the right. For us they are the same as pesky flies,” Ahmadinejad said according to Al Jazeera. “We have patience and we will endure throughout all of this.”
Iran has insisted that its uranium enrichment program is for peaceful purposes.
The resolution includes many binding measures such as arms restrictions on Iran, a ban on the launch of ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear weapons, and bans on Iranian investment in uranium related activities abroad.
It expands the arms embargo against Iran, and also includes travel restrictions for Iranians, and measures to restrict Iran’s financial sector.
“The financial measures are new and ground breaking and extremely significant, as are the measures in the commercial sphere,” said Rice in a statement on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the five permanent members of the Security Council—United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China—met to discuss the resolution, followed by an open session including the 10 nonpermanent members—Austria, Japan, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Uganda, Brazil, Mexico, Gabon, and Nigeria.
The fourth round of sanctions in as many years was endorsed by 12 countries in the 15-member council.
President Barack Obama said the American-sponsored resolution imposed “the toughest sanctions ever faced by the Iranian government and it sends an unmistakable message about the international community’s commitment to stopping the spread of nuclear weapons.”
Brazil and Turkey, who have been trying to broker a diplomatic solution to avoid sanctions, voted against the resolution. Lebanon abstained.
Brazil and Turkey signed a deal last month with Tehran to allow Iran to ship low-enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for higher-grade enriched uranium that Iran says it will use in a medical research reactor.
Brazil’s U.N. Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti reiterated her country’s view that the sanctions are punitive and not as constructive as a diplomatic solution.
“Sanctions will most probably lead to the suffering of the people of Iran and will play into the hands of those on all sides that do not want dialogue to prevail,” Viotti told the Security Council.
Susan E. Rice, U.S. permanent representative to the U.N. says she expects the sanctions will have a strong impact on Iran, “which is why Iran has worked so hard to try to prevent its adoption.”
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, however, had the opposite reaction.
“Sanctions are falling on us from the left and the right. For us they are the same as pesky flies,” Ahmadinejad said according to Al Jazeera. “We have patience and we will endure throughout all of this.”
Iran has insisted that its uranium enrichment program is for peaceful purposes.
The resolution includes many binding measures such as arms restrictions on Iran, a ban on the launch of ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear weapons, and bans on Iranian investment in uranium related activities abroad.
It expands the arms embargo against Iran, and also includes travel restrictions for Iranians, and measures to restrict Iran’s financial sector.
“The financial measures are new and ground breaking and extremely significant, as are the measures in the commercial sphere,” said Rice in a statement on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the five permanent members of the Security Council—United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China—met to discuss the resolution, followed by an open session including the 10 nonpermanent members—Austria, Japan, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Uganda, Brazil, Mexico, Gabon, and Nigeria.
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