US, allies call for UN vote Wednesday on new Iran sanctions, Gates predicts passage

Iran sanctions vote Wed, Gates predicts passage

LONDON — The United States and its allies called for a U.N. vote Wednesday on imposing new sanctions on Iran’s suspect nuclear program, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said those would be followed by even stricter unilateral penalties by Washington and others.

The international sanctions, up for a vote before the U.N. Security Council, would be tougher than previous penalties but still far short of crippling economic punishments or an oil embargo. Gates, speaking in London, predicted passage and said the U.S. and some of its European allies are considering additional tougher measures.

“The strategy here is a combination of diplomacy and pressure to persuade the Iranians that they are headed in the wrong direction in terms of their own security, that they will undermine their security by pursuit of nuclear weapons, not enhance it,” Gates said.

The final version of the U.N. resolution, which was obtained Monday by The Associated Press, would ban Iran from pursuing “any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons,” bar Iranian investment in activities such as uranium mining, and prohibit Iran from buying several categories of heavy weapons including attack helicopters and missiles.

A list of new individuals and entities — including from Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard — that would be subject to sanctions, including an asset freeze was agreed to on Tuesday, a council diplomat familiar with the negotiations said.

In New York, Mexico’s U.N. Ambassador Claude Heller, the current council president, told reporters that the Security Council vote would take place at 10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday.

Heller also announced that the Security Council would hold a private meeting Tuesday afternoon on Iran, which will meet some of the concerns of Brazil and Turkey who had called for an open “political debate” on the broader Iranian nuclear issue first.

Neither Brazil nor Turkey is one of the five veto-holding permanent members of the council, although both are currently non-permanent members of the 15-member body. They recently announced a fuel-swap agreement with Iran aimed at addressing concerns that it may be enriching uranium for nuclear weapons.

Iran insists its nuclear program is purely peaceful, aimed at producing nuclear energy, but the United States and its Western allies believe Tehran’s real goal is to produce atomic weapons.

After weeks of closed-door negotiations, the U.S., Britain and France won crucial support from Russia and China for new sanctions, but they have faced a tough campaign to get backing from the rest of the Security Council.

When the original draft resolution was circulated on Oct. 18 — shortly after the Turkey-Brazil-Iran deal was announced — diplomats said Brazil refused to negotiate, and it has expressed opposition to new sanctions along with Turkey and Lebanon.

The latest draft, circulated “in blue” text signaling it is in final form, adds language noting Turkey and Brazil’s efforts “that could serve as a confidence building measure.”

The resolution, if adopted, would impose the fourth round of sanctions against Iran for refusing to suspend its enrichment program and join talks with the five permanent council nations and Germany. The six countries have been trying for several years to get Tehran into serious negotiations about its nuclear program.

The final draft also calls on all countries to cooperate in cargo inspections — which must receive the consent of the ship’s flag state — if there are “reasonable grounds” to believe these activities could contribute to Iranian nuclear activities.

On the financial side, the draft calls on — but does not require — countries to block financial transactions, including insurance and reinsurance, and ban the licensing of Iranian banks if they have information that provides “reasonable grounds” to believe these activities could contribute to Iranian nuclear activities.

The final draft adds language “emphasizing the importance of political and diplomatic efforts to find a negotiated solution guaranteeing that Iran’s nuclear program is purely for peaceful purposes,” but also emphasizes “the importance of Iran addressing the core issues related to its nuclear program.”

Gates and new British defense chief Liam Fox met in London Tuesday, they warned that an Iranian nuclear weapon would start a Mideast arms race.

“The overwhelming fear is that if Iran is to become a nuclear weapons state that will be the end,” of the international treaty limiting the spread of atomic weapons, Fox said.

“We surely want to do more than leave the next generation a legacy of a new nuclear arms race in the world’s most unstable region.”

Estimate of Iran’s nuclear progress vary, but most experts believe the nation is at least two years away from being able to build a workable weapon. Iran denies it is seeking a bomb.

“I do not think we have lost the opportunity to stop the Iranians from having a nuclear weapon,” Gates said. “I think the clock is ticking.”

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Associated Press Writer Edith M. Lederer reported from the United Nations.