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Tougher Iran sanctions 'agreed'
The top UK diplomat at the UN has said a new Security Council resolution on Iran has been agreed and is expected to go to a vote on Saturday.
The new sanctions will augment existing sanctions with a ban on arms exports from Iran and financial restrictions.
Iran rejects claims that it is seeking to produce nuclear weapons, saying its atomic programme is purely civilian.
President Ahmadinejad of Iran has been given a visa by the United States so that he can be present for the vote.
PROPOSED SANCTIONS
Ban on Iranian arms exports
Call for end to new loans
Travel restrictions on people involved in Iran's programme
Freeze on the assets of key Iranian leaders
Iran given 60 days to halt enrichment or face further measures
"Our intention is that there should be a vote Saturday. We'll meet [on Friday] for one final consideration. But the text is in blue," said the UK's UN ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, indicating that the text had been agreed.
The draft resolution proposes a ban on the export of arms from Iran, a call for governments not to make new loans to Iran, travel restrictions on people involved in Tehran's nuclear programme, and a freeze on the assets of key Iranian leaders.
Last December, the Security Council voted unanimously to impose a first, limited set of sanctions against Iran for refusing to halt uranium enrichment. The draft is expected to give Iran 60 days to comply with UN demands or face "further appropriate measures".
Negotiations
During negotiations on the draft, a South Africa suggestion for a 90-day suspension of sanctions to allow political negotiations with Tehran was rejected.
A proposal by Indonesia and Qatar to include in the draft a paragraph recalling the ambition of a "Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction and all missiles for their delivery" was also dismissed.
The new draft restates an offer of economic and diplomatic incentives made by the five permanent council members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - and Germany, aimed at inducing Iran to halt its enrichment programme.
BBC UN correspondent Laura Trevelyan says Western governments would prefer a unanimous vote from the 15-member Security Council on Saturday, as that sends a more powerful signal to Iran.
But this does not seem likely and they have decided to go for a vote anyway.
The top UK diplomat at the UN has said a new Security Council resolution on Iran has been agreed and is expected to go to a vote on Saturday.
The new sanctions will augment existing sanctions with a ban on arms exports from Iran and financial restrictions.
Iran rejects claims that it is seeking to produce nuclear weapons, saying its atomic programme is purely civilian.
President Ahmadinejad of Iran has been given a visa by the United States so that he can be present for the vote.
PROPOSED SANCTIONS
Ban on Iranian arms exports
Call for end to new loans
Travel restrictions on people involved in Iran's programme
Freeze on the assets of key Iranian leaders
Iran given 60 days to halt enrichment or face further measures
"Our intention is that there should be a vote Saturday. We'll meet [on Friday] for one final consideration. But the text is in blue," said the UK's UN ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, indicating that the text had been agreed.
The draft resolution proposes a ban on the export of arms from Iran, a call for governments not to make new loans to Iran, travel restrictions on people involved in Tehran's nuclear programme, and a freeze on the assets of key Iranian leaders.
Last December, the Security Council voted unanimously to impose a first, limited set of sanctions against Iran for refusing to halt uranium enrichment. The draft is expected to give Iran 60 days to comply with UN demands or face "further appropriate measures".
Negotiations
During negotiations on the draft, a South Africa suggestion for a 90-day suspension of sanctions to allow political negotiations with Tehran was rejected.
A proposal by Indonesia and Qatar to include in the draft a paragraph recalling the ambition of a "Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction and all missiles for their delivery" was also dismissed.
The new draft restates an offer of economic and diplomatic incentives made by the five permanent council members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - and Germany, aimed at inducing Iran to halt its enrichment programme.
BBC UN correspondent Laura Trevelyan says Western governments would prefer a unanimous vote from the 15-member Security Council on Saturday, as that sends a more powerful signal to Iran.
But this does not seem likely and they have decided to go for a vote anyway.