Iran dismisses UN sanctions move

Iran dismissed the latest United Nations sanctions over its nuclear programme as “annoying flies” and “a used tissue”, after the US and its allies scored a long-sought victory.

The sanctions target Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard, ballistic missiles and nuclear-related investments.

Oil exports, the life blood of Iran’s economy, are not affected because targeting them would have cost the US essential support from Russia and China.

US president Barack Obama said the sanctions were the toughest Iran had faced. They required several months of difficult negotiations by the five veto-wielding permanent UN Security Council members – the US, Russia, China, Britain and France – and non-member Germany.

It is the fourth round of sanctions aimed at getting Iran into serious discussions on its nuclear ambitions.

“Actions do have consequences, and today the Iranian government will face some of those consequences,” Mr Obama said yesterday.

He left the door open to diplomacy but said Iran “will find itself more isolated, less prosperous and less secure” unless it met its obligations under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.

But Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on an official visit in Tajikistan, said: “From right and from left, they adopt sanctions, but for us they are annoying flies, like a used tissue.”

Tehran insists its programme is peaceful and aimed at producing nuclear energy. The US and its allies say Iran is trying to produce nuclear weapons and want it to suspend uranium enrichment and start negotiations aimed at ensuring that it uses nuclear technology only for peaceful purposes.

The new resolution bans Iran from pursuing “any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons”, bans Iranian investment in activities such as uranium mining and prohibits Iran from buying several categories of heavy weapons including attack helicopters and missiles.

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, warned that “choosing the option of confrontation will bring Iran’s resolute response”, according to Iran’s official news agency. He did not elaborate.

And Iran’s UN ambassador Mohammad Khazaee accused the United States, Britain and their allies of abusing the security council to attack Iran.

“No amount of pressure and mischief will be able to break our nation’s determination to pursue and defend its legal and inalienable rights,” he said.

“Iran is one of the most powerful and stable countries in the region and never bowed – and will never bow – to the hostile actions and pressures by these few powers and will continue to defend its rights.”

The resolution was approved by a vote of 12-2 with Lebanon abstaining and Brazil and Turkey voting against.

Turkey and Brazil, both non-permanent council members, brokered a fuel-swap agreement with Iran that they offered as an alternative solution to concerns Tehran may be enriching uranium for nuclear weapons.

The security council imposed limited sanctions in December 2006 and has been ratcheting them up in hopes of pressuring Iran to suspend enrichment and start negotiations on its nuclear programme.

Iran has repeatedly defied the demand and has stepped up its activities, enriching uranium to 20% and announcing plans to build new nuclear facilities.

The new resolution imposes sanctions on 40 Iranian companies and organisations - 15 linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, 22 involved in nuclear or ballistic missile activities and three linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines. That more than doubles the 35 entities that had been subject to an asset freeze.

The resolution also calls on all countries to co-operate in cargo inspections - which must receive the consent of the ship’s flag state – if there are “reasonable grounds” to believe the cargo could contribute to the Iranian nuclear programme.

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