Russia
Urges Iran to Study Carefully New UN Resolution
UNITED NATIONS
(RIA Novosti) — Russia is urging Iran to study carefully
the UN Security Council’s new resolution on the Islamic Republic
and new proposals by six world powers, the Russian ambassador
to the UN said.
The UN Security
Council voted unanimously to impose new harsher sanctions
against Iran for its unwillingness to halt its nuclear activities.
The new document is a follow-up of the resolution adopted by
the UN Security Council in late December.
"We
would like to hope that the Iranian leadership will carefully
weigh the meaning of UN Security Council Resolution 1747, which
has been adopted unanimously, and carefully analyze the statement
made by the foreign ministers of the group of six [Russia,
China, Britain, France, the United States and Germany]," Vitaly
Churkin said.
The Russian
diplomat said the statement by the six world powers, which
was read out at the UN, is an important diplomatic initiative
and will be formalized into an official document.
Iran has
been offered to start negotiations on a comprehensive agreement
from scratch, and has also been promised aid in civilian nuclear
energy development and direct investment in key sectors of
the economy in return for its consent to give up uranium enrichment.
Since Iran
resumed uranium enrichment in January 2006, the country has
been the focus of international concerns, as some Western countries,
particularly the United States, suspect Tehran is pursuing
a covert weapons program. But Tehran has consistently claimed
it needs nuclear power for civilian power generation and is
full entitled to its own nuclear program.
The new UN
Security Council resolution was passed following Tehran’s refusal
to comply with the previous resolution adopted December 23,
2006.
The new resolution
freezes financial accounts abroad of 13 companies and 15 individuals
involved in uranium enrichment and missile development projects,
imposes visa restrictions and bans arms exports from Iran.
It also threatens new sanctions, if Iran does not comply with
it within 60 days, and urges the Islamic Republic to return
to negotiations.