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Iran sanctions proposals 'agreed' | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
A new UN Security Council resolution on Iran's nuclear programme has been backed by members and will go to a vote this Saturday, a top UK diplomat says. | |
The draft resolution proposes to augment existing sanctions with a ban on arms exports by Iran, and new financial and travel restrictions. | |
Iran rejects claims that it is seeking to produce nuclear weapons, saying its atomic programme is purely civilian. | Iran rejects claims that it is seeking to produce nuclear weapons, saying its atomic programme is purely civilian. |
Its president has been given a US visa so he can attend the vote in New York. | |
PROPOSED SANCTIONS Ban on Iranian arms exportsCall for end to new loansTravel restrictions on people involved in Iran's programmeFreeze on the assets of key Iranian leadersIran given 60 days to halt enrichment or face further measures Q&A: Iran nuclear row | PROPOSED SANCTIONS Ban on Iranian arms exportsCall for end to new loansTravel restrictions on people involved in Iran's programmeFreeze on the assets of key Iranian leadersIran given 60 days to halt enrichment or face further measures Q&A: Iran nuclear row |
"Our intention is that there should be a vote Saturday. We'll meet [on Friday] for one final consideration. But the text is in blue," said the UK's UN ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, indicating that the text had won broad agreement ahead of a vote. | |
Last December, the Security Council voted unanimously to impose a first, limited set of sanctions against Iran for refusing to halt uranium enrichment. The new draft is expected to give Iran 60 days to comply with UN demands or face "further appropriate measures". | |
Negotiations | Negotiations |
During negotiations on the draft, a South African suggestion of a 90-day suspension of sanctions to allow political negotiations with Tehran was rejected. | |
A proposal by Indonesia and Qatar to include in the draft a paragraph recalling the ambition of a "Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction and all missiles for their delivery" was also dismissed. | A proposal by Indonesia and Qatar to include in the draft a paragraph recalling the ambition of a "Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction and all missiles for their delivery" was also dismissed. |
The new draft restates an offer of economic and diplomatic incentives made by the five permanent council members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - and Germany, aimed at inducing Iran to halt its enrichment programme. | The new draft restates an offer of economic and diplomatic incentives made by the five permanent council members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - and Germany, aimed at inducing Iran to halt its enrichment programme. |
The BBC's Laura Trevelyan, at the UN, says Western governments would prefer a unanimous vote from the 15-member Security Council on Saturday, as that would send a more powerful signal to Iran. | |
But this does not seem likely and they have decided to go for a vote anyway, she adds. |