UN agrees draft resolution on Iran nuclear programme
Sunday, 28 Sep 2008 10:46
The Iranian president has accused western powers of bullying over its nuclear programme
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The permanent members of the United Nations (UN) security council and Germany have agreed upon a draft resolution against
Iran's nuclear programme.
The UN has previously passed three rounds of sanctions against Iran over its refusal to suspend enriching uranium. The west fears that Iran is looking to develop nuclear weapons under the guise of a peaceful nuclear energy programme.
While the text calls on Iran to "fully comply, without delay" with obligations under previous resolutions, it does not contain the threat of further sanctions.
Russia, which holds veto power, objects to the threat of further sanctions as it believes a more diplomatic course of action is the best way forward.
The country's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said: "[We] continue to believe that it is not timely to consider at the ministerial, or at any other level, this proposal of new sanctions.
Iran maintains that developing nuclear energy is its sovereign right and has refused to accept demands to stop the enrichment of radioactive materials.
The new push for sanctions against Iran came after an International Atomic Energy Agency report said it was unable to make progress into investigating claims the Islamic republic was making nuclear weapons because of a lack of transparency.
It called on Iran to improve access to facilities and be more open with information.
Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili criticised the new resolution saying it would engender "mistrust".
"These [resolutions] are not constructive," he was quoted by Iranian television as saying.
"What they need to do is to attract the trust of the Iranian nation through constructive co-operation and collective commitment."