UN Security Council plans new pressure on Iran

New York - The United Nations Security Council plans to adopt a new resolution later Saturday calling on Iran to 'comply fully and without delay with its obligations' with past UN demands to halt its uranium enrichment programmes. But the draft resolution expected to be adopted by the 15-nation council does not call for additional sanctions. Three previous resolutions since 2006 have imposed a ban on travel by some high- ranking Iran officials and exports of nuclear technology to Iran. The US and some Western governments like Britain have imposed their own sanctions against Iran for defying calls to end the controversial nuclear conversion programmes. The draft reiterated support for the position taken in March this year by the council's five permanent members - the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China - and Germany and the European Union to pursue a dual track - economic incentives and punitive measures - to convince Iran to suspend uranium enrichment measures. It called for the commitment to reach 'an early negotiated solution' to Iran's nuclear issues. It called upon Iran to comply with previous council resolutions and meet with the demands of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Boards of Governors. The IAEA has been calling on the Tehran government to provide documents on its concealed nuclear activities, which are suspected of manufacturing nuclear weapons. The council decided to take action on the draft following days of talks held by foreign ministers of the five permanent members and Germany, who took spent time to discuss Iran's nuclear issues while attending a debate in the UN General Assembly in New York. Russia at first balked at the council's new move, but decided on Friday to join other council members. The draft resolution aims at putting more pressure without any punishment measures. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday that the new resolution meant 'no-one would have any doubt' that the six countries were united in their call for Iran to halt enrichment and cooperate with UN inspectors. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was also attending UN meetings this week in New York, noted that three rounds of sanctions have already been slapped on Iran by the council in the past. On Wednesday she said she agreed with Russia that more time was needed for talks on additional moves. Rice said the six powers would continue pursuing a 'dual-track strategy' against Iran, which involves offering economic incentives if it halts its programme and leaves open more sanctions if the nuclear activities continue.