The United States introduced a U.N. resolution aimed at Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons program May 18, winning long-sought and pivotal support from China and Russia for new sanctions against its powerful Revolutionary Guard and new measures to try to curtail Iran’s military, financial and shipping activities.
The agreement, announced by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and applauded by Jewish groups, appeared to be a significant victory for the Obama administration, which has doggedly pursued sanctions since Iran rebuffed U.S. overtures last year.
The draft resolution would ban Iran from pursuing “any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons,” freeze assets of nuclear-related companies linked to the Revolutionary Guard, bar Iranian investment in activities such as uranium mining and prohibit Iran from buying several categories of heavy weapons.
Ambassador Susan Rice said the resolution, backed by all five veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council, would give “greater teeth” to existing sanctions and add “strong” new measures to intensify pressure on the Iranian government to resolve concerns that its nuclear program is peaceful and not aimed at producing nuclear weapons.
Russia and China, which have close ties to Iran, joined fellow permanent council members Britain, France and the United States as well as nonmember Germany in supporting the sanctions proposal, ignoring a deal that Tehran struck with Turkey and Brazil a day earlier in an effort to stave off the penalties.
Rice presented the draft to the 10 nonpermanent council members — including Brazil and Turkey — and said the United States will work hard to win support from as many members as possible. She said she is confident the resolution will get the minimum nine “yes” votes. Rice said the country considers new sanctions “urgent” but wouldn’t speculate on when the resolution will be put to a vote.
The American Jewish Committee, at the forefront of efforts to galvanize international support for multilateral sanctions against Iran, welcomed the news.
“We hope the U.N. Security Council will accelerate its deliberations and adopt a new resolution to significantly tighten the sanctions regime to thwart Iran’s ambitions to obtain nuclear weapons capability,” said David Harris, AJC’s executive director.
Congress is considering its own set of expanded and tougher unilateral sanctions that would target third-party entities — companies, individuals and countries — that deal with Iran’s energy sector.
The Obama administration is wary of the package, fearing it would drive partners away from multilateral sanctions.
AIPAC called on the Obama administration to embrace the congressional package — likely to pass within weeks — as a complement to the multilateral sanctions.
“American and international sanctions on Iran must be overwhelming to change the dynamic within Iran and to alter the policies of Iranian leaders,” AIPAC said in an analysis. “Sanctions should target Iran’s finance, insurance, shipping, transportation, natural gas and manufacturing industries in addition to Tehran’s dependence on refined petroleum.”
Clinton drew a direct link between the resolution announcement and Iran’s attempt to head off additional sanctions by agreeing to a diluted version of an earlier U.S.-initiated proposal to enrich some uranium to medical research levels in exchange for transparency. Under the agreement, Iran would export half of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey and Brazil for enrichment to medical research levels.
The Obama administration has rejected the deal as inadequate.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.