Tehran, June 10: The UN yesterday approved fresh sanctions against Iran targeting manufacturing firms, individuals, the elite military guard and shipping lines. While tougher early draft resolutions were diluted, notably by China, the vote opens the way for countries and trading blocs, including the US and the EU, to follow the additional measures.
Iran reacted angrily after 12 Security Council countries supported what is now the fourth round of sanctions against Tehran. Only Brazil and Turkey voted against with Lebanon abstaining.
US President Barack Obama, speaking at the White House, said the sanctions were an “unmistakable message” to Iran that the world would not tolerate its continued refusal to halt its uranium enrichment, which Washington believes is aimed at developing an atomic bomb. Early efforts by the US to target Iran’s energy sector were resisted by China, which has a veto in the Council, but significant additions to the new sanctions regime were made and now become part of international law.
–Agencies