USA: Iran objects to U.N. resolution demanding its cessation of nuclear development

The U.N. Security Council on Monday (July 31) demanded Iran suspend its nuclear activities within a month or face the threat of sanctions, but Tehran rejected the move as illegal. The council adopted a resolution demanding the suspension by a vote of 14 to 1, with Qatar, the only Arab member of the council, voting against. The resolution, which follows weeks of negotiations, demands that Iran "suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development." If Tehran does not comply by Aug. 31, the council would consider adopting "appropriate measures" under Article 41 of Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which refers to economic sanctions. The resolution is the first on Iran with legally binding demands and a threat to consider sanctions. The United States and its allies suspect Iran is developing a nuclear bomb and accuse it of hiding research over 18 years. U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said Iran had been out of compliance with demands of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency, for three years. "We hope this resolution will demonstrate to Iran that the best way to end this international isolation is to simply give up the pursuit of nuclear weapons," Bolton said. But Iranian U.N. Ambassador Javad Zarif, in a lengthy statement on the history of Tehran's treatment by the West, reiterated the country's nuclear program was for peaceful purposes only. "Today we are witness to an extremely dangerous trend," Zarif said. "While members of the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) are denied their rights and are punished, those who defy the NPT -particularly the perpetrators of current carnage in Lebanon and Palestine - are rewarded by generous nuclear cooperation agreements." Qatar's U.N. ambassador, Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, said he voted "no" due to the raging conflict in the region between Israel and Hizbollah militants. Germany and the council's five permanent members with veto power -- the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain -- negotiated the text. Britain's ambassador to the United Nations, Emyr Jones Parry, encouraged Iran to change its direction. "We urge and encourage Iran to take the positive path by implementing the steps required by the IAEA board and the Security Council and to return to talks on the basis of the ambitious package which we have put forward," he said. The incentive package of energy, commercial and technological incentives was offered to Iran in June in return for its suspension of uranium enrichment work. Iran has said it will respond late next month.

ITN Source | August 1, 2006

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