Iran Nuclear NewsDraft text on Iran resolution close to completion

Draft text on Iran resolution close to completion

-

Reuters: Major powers negotiating sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program intend to deliver a draft resolution to the full 15-member Security Council on Wednesday in hopes of a vote within a week, the council’s president said. By Evelyn Leopold

UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Reuters) – Major powers negotiating sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program intend to deliver a draft resolution to the full 15-member Security Council on Wednesday in hopes of a vote within a week, the council’s president said.

After more than two weeks of talks, the six negotiators said on Tuesday they were close to agreement with Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, who told reporters he had received “very positive” instructions from Moscow.

But China’s U.N. ambassador, Wang Guangya, said the final deal had not been reached over a list of Iranian officials and organizations subject to financial sanctions. This would include firms controlled by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

Also expected in the text are a ban on government loans to Tehran and an embargo on conventional weapons Iran could export.

“We will have consultations on Iran tomorrow (Wednesday) when they will give us a draft of whatever they have in hand, whether it is agreed or not agreed,” South African Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo, this month’s council president, said.

“Now it is coming to a point where it marginalizes the rest of the members … when the P-5 continue to discuss this endlessly among themselves,” Kumalo told reporters.

He was referring to the five permanent council members with veto power — the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China — who are negotiating a text along with Germany, which holds the current presidency of the European Union.

The United States and leading European countries suspect Iran is seeking to build nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian atomic program. Tehran denies the charge and says its program is for generating electricity only.

The new resolution is a follow-up to one adopted by the Security Council on Dec. 23 that imposed trade sanctions on sensitive nuclear materials and technology and froze assets of key Iranian individuals, groups and businesses.

The measure would penalize Iran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment, which can be used in bombs or for peaceful ends. The sanctions would be suspended if Iran complied and returned to negotiations.

STICKING POINT

Asked about his latest instruction from Moscow, Russia’s Churkin said, “I can describe it as a very positive set of instructions” but he said there were “still some things that need to be finalized” in the text.

Churkin warned against “artificial preconceived ideas that Russia is the odd man out among the six or China is the odd man out,” because Western nations also had voiced concerns.

China’s Wang said the main sticking point was the list of people, groups and businesses subject to sanctions and listed in an annex to the resolution.

“In the annex you have many entities and names because for many of us, including China, we are not sure about all those entities because the objective is to target the nuclear and missile activities,” Wang said.

“But now with so many names we don’t know whether they are linked to these activities or not,” Wang said of the list.

Optimistic that a vote in the 15-member council could be held within a week, Britain’s U.N. ambassador, Emyr Jones Parry, said, “There are no difficulties, there are just one or two issues to resolve.”

“Everybody had instructions but not necessarily on everything,” Jones Parry added.

Meanwhile Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants to address the council to defend Tehran’s nuclear plans, but he has yet to officially ask for a meeting, Kumalo said.

According to Iran’s U.N. ambassador, Javad Zarif, Ahmadinejad “is determined to make this trip,” Kumalo said.

But the council had not yet received an official letter so it could consider the next steps, Kumalo said. Most members say there is little to prevent the president from speaking.

Latest news

Land Subsidence in Critical Conditions in Isfahan

Mehdi Toghyani, a member of the Iranian regime’s Majlis (parliament), pointed to the occurrence of land subsidence in various...

Iran’s Actual Inflation Rate Higher Than Official Stats

The state-run Donya-e-eqtesad newspaper, in a report analyzing the "general sentiment" regarding inflation in 2023, has stated that households...

Iranian Workers’ Monthly $136 Wages Can’t Cover $500 Expenses

The lives of a significant portion of the Iranian population are marked by uncertainty, largely because the Iranian economy...

Iranian Nurses Earn Twice Their Wages in Ride-Hailing Services

Reza Aryanpour, a member of the regime’s Majlis (parliament) Health and Treatment Commission, highlighted the growing trend of nurses...

Iran: Unprecedented Record of 152 Million Liters of Gasoline Consumption Per Day

On March 19, Iran set a new historical record in gasoline consumption with 152 million liters consumed in one...

Iran’s Youths Have Highest Unemployment Rate

The Iranian regime’s Eghtesad News website reported that data from the Statistical Center of Iran shows that the youth...

Must read

Uni. professors must receive Islamic training: senior Iran cleric

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Dec. 01 – A senior...

Lawyers criticize EU over terrorist blacklist

Wall Street Journal: A group of prominent European lawyers plans...

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you