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Iran slams Security Council sanctions

DUBAI: Iran has said the credibility of the United Nations Security Council has been put on line after it passed a Western sponsored resolution on Monday, imposing fresh sanctions against it.

“We are once again witnessing the bitter reality that the Security Council’s position is belittled to an extent to serve as an instrument at the service of the foreign policy of a few countries,” said Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations Mohammad Khazaie.

Under the new set of sanctions — the third time that such a measure has been adopted since December 2006 — trade with Iran of goods which have both civil and military applications has been banned. Planes and ships operated by Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line can now be inspected, in case it is suspected that they are carrying banned items.

Two banks which purportedly have links with Iranian nuclear activities — Bank Melli and Bank Saderat — will also be subjected to financial monitoring.

Assets of 12 more Iranian companies and 13 individuals having links with the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missiles have been frozen.

A travel ban on five individuals allegedly linked to the Iran’s nuclear programme has been imposed. They include Mohammad Reza Naqdi — a prominent functionary in Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards corps.

The debate on Iran’s nuclear activities has taken into account the report published on February 22, by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The report says Iran had not responded to questions related to “alleged studies” it had carried out into possible weaponisation of nuclear materials.

It added that Iran had not provided satisfactory answers to questions raised by Western intelligence reports which were in the IAEA’s possession.

However, Iran’s representative to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh has said the data procured by the IAEA had mainly come from the U.S., and from a laptop that had been smuggled out of Iran in 2005.

He said the information was “100 per cent fabricated and forged.”

Besides, Iran was shown only some of these documents in mid-February, making it impossible for Tehran to respond in time before the release of the February report, he said.

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