U.N. Council Puts New Sanctions On Iran

(CBS/AP)  The U.N. Security Council unanimously voted to impose new sanctions against Iran for its refusal to stop enriching uranium — a move intended to show Tehran that defiance will leave it increasingly isolated.

Iran immediately rejected the sanctions Saturday and said it had no intention of suspending its enrichment program, prompting the United States to warn of even tougher penalties.

"The world must know — and it does — that even the harshest political and economic sanctions or other threats are far too weak to coerce the Iranian nation to retreat from their legal and legitimate demands," Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told the Security Council after the vote. "Suspension is neither an option nor a solution."

The moderately tougher sanctions include banning Iranian arms exports, and freezing the assets of 28 people and organizations involved in Iran's nuclear and missile programs.

About a third of those are linked to the Revolutionary Guard, an elite military corps.

"It's a significant international rebuke to Iran and it's a significant tightening of international pressure on Iran," said Nicholas Burns, undersecretary for political affairs at the State Department. If Iran does not comply, "there's no question" that the United States will seek a third and tougher resolution, he added.

"Despite initial resistance from several nations on the Security Council, the U.N. unanimously agreed to close ranks and ratchet up the pressure on Iran, imposing an assets freeze and prohibiting trade related to Iran's nuclear program," said CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk at the U.N.

In December, the 15-member Security Council ordered all countries to stop supplying Iran with materials and technology that could contribute to its nuclear and missile programs. It also ordered a freeze on assets of 10 key Iranian companies and 12 individuals related to those programs. Iran responded by expanding enrichment.

Mottaki said Iran would return to negotiations over its nuclear program only if the United States and its European allies dropped the "unfair and unacceptable precondition" that it first suspend uranium enrichment.

But world powers held out hope that Iran would back down before the dispute escalated even further.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said nations involved in the dispute had tasked him to resume contacts with Iranian negotiator Ali Larijani "to see whether we can find a route to negotiations."

"The door to negotiations is open; I hope we can together find a way to go through it," Solana said in statement.

Burns said that because of a "tumultuous political environment" in Iran "we believe there is a faction inside that government that wishes to accept this offer to negotiate."

He was apparently referring to criticism from some in Iran that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's confrontational rhetoric has deepened the country's isolation.

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[diplomacy3]

tbweb
Puntin has been a very successful former KGB
officer and he would like someone with similar background as his successor. His close contact with ordinary russians thru media has won him good reputation and they would like him to stay on as President for ever. He is absolutely the right candidate for President, if Russian constitution allows him for the 3rd time.

[feelfree1]

tbweb,

Re: "I don't think its a good idea for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to have frequent visits to the U.S. or maybe even to have no visits at all."

If we don't allow them in, how will we ever learn what a good speaker/leader looks like?

[tbweb]

--feelfree1

I don't think its a good idea for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to have frequent visits to the U.S. or maybe even to have no visits at all. Tensions are high and they both are Sniper bait! Even if the U.S. did not assassinate them someone else could and blame it on the U.S.! The U.S. does not need the assassination of a Head of State on its hands with all the other drama going on!

[tbweb]

--diplomacy3

Yes I agree, President Putin is very popular is Russia and his chair and influence will be close by. I was surprised that President Putin wasn't more aggressive and confrontational with the West himself since he is a Black Belt in Karate or Judo, but those disciplines teach restraint too so maybe he mastered all aspects.

[diplomacy3]

feelfree1:

No doubt, he 'personally' likes America for sightseeing - Niagara falls!

[feelfree1]

diplomacy3,

Re: "But Nejad could still visit the US with the rest of the delegation if he wanted to."

Sure thing. Perhaps he would like to visit the U.S. without his security team, for example, eh?

[feelfree1]

As long as the U.N. serves to appease and prop up the lie/fraud-based terror crusade of the Bush regime, they cannot be viewed as a democratic body.

As long as the U.N. fails to reign-in the rogue terror-State of Israel, they cannot be viewed as an credible arbitor of the rule of law.

[diplomacy3]

feelfree1..

Yes, the US delivered Nejad's visa to its Swiss Embassy in Berne which is hardly two blocs away from the Iranian Embassy there but I think some more people were to be included in the entourage and their visas could not be delivered on time. But Nejad could still visit the US with the rest of the delegation if he wanted to.

[feelfree1]

Re: "Ahmadinejad canceled a planned appearance before the Security Council and sent Mottaki instead, claiming the U.S. failed to deliver his visa in time. The U.S. said it had issued the visa promptly."

Officials in the Bush regime are known to play games with visas for foreign officials that they are scared of. Chavez is a known example of this.

If CBS and other Western mainstream outlets were actual sources of reliable news and information, they should be able to determine whether or not this claim is true, rather than simply parroting unsupported claims.

A Russian once told me that the difference between Soviet era Pravda and the U.S. mainstream press, was that the Soviets KNEW that the Pravda propaganda was false.

[diplomacy3]

I was expecting something to happen when the Iranian President announced a visit to address the UNSC. I had left my comments on this board that it looked like he would be coming for a sightseeing as everyone likes America! You can't expect such a visit by a head of state in such a situation. It would have been victory for him though and hence the capture of 15 sailors. Yes, either the Foreign Minister or the Defence Minister would be Putin's substitute but Putin will have his table & chair next to him.