New York - The UN Security Council voted overwhelmingly Monday to impose additional punitive measures against Iran for its defiance of calls to abandon its nuclear activities suspected of ultimately producing weapons of mass destruction. The 15-nation council voted 14-0 to declare the new measures, with Indonesia abstaining.
Indonesian UN Ambassador Marty Natalegawa said that looking into the future, even if Iran complied with the demands under the new set of sanctions, he was doubtful the international community would ever accept that Iran had complied.
"Ultimately, the lack of confidence and trust is at the heart of the matter," Natalegawa said.
Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee denied the accusation of weaponization of its nuclear programme, one suspect aspect of which is the advanced uranium enrichment with the import of nuclear technology.
"Iran's nuclear programme is absolutely peaceful and Iran should not fall under the purview of the council's mandate for peace and security around the world," Khazaee said. He said the IAEA had confirmed the purpose of Iran's nuclear activities.
"What the Islamic Republic of Iran is pursuing is the exercising of its rights in accordance with the nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and under the supervision of the IAEA, and nothing more," Khazaee said before the council voted on the sanctions.
Khazaee said Iran's demand for its rights to peaceful nuclear energy was legitimate, but his nation was being punished by what he described as a "few countries" on the council.
The resolution adopted by the council invoked Article 41 of Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which allows the UN council to seek economic sanctions without relying on the use of force to implement a resolution. Chapter 7 usually has been invoked to establish peacekeeping operations in situations that require use of military force.
The resolution expanded sanctions previously imposed on Iran, from travel bans, asset freezes, export credit and financial monitoring to cargo inspections and a new deadline for Iran to comply.
It requested the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to report within 90 days from the resolution's adoption, whether Iran has fully suspended all nuclear activities.
Currently Iran is under an embargo on exports of arms and related material, which ordered UN members not to sell or transfer to Iran battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, warships, missiles or missile systems and attack helicopters.
The resolution called for "vigilance and restraint" regarding the entry or transit of Iranians who are directly associated with or providing support for Iran's "proliferation of sensitive nuclear activities or for the development of nuclear weapon delivery system."
A freeze of assets in the future would be expanded to "persons and entities" that are assisting "designated persons or entities in evading sanctions or in violation" of previous sanctions.
