Iran Avoids Tougher UN Sanctions

The Iranian government survived new attempts by western nations, led by the United States, to impose a strict set of economic sanctions against Iran for its continued defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning its nuclear development program. The UN has long demanded that Iran cease its uranium enrichment activities and provide full and unfettered access to inspectors from the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency.

The five permanent member states of the Security Council, Russia, China, Britain, France, and the United States, along with Germany, have agreed to a third set of economic sanctions against Iran, but the final draft of the proposed measure contains no new punitive actions, instead opting for expansions of existing provisions. Western states fear Iran is using its nuclear program to develop atomic weapons, while Tehran insists it seeks only peaceful civilian nuclear energy. The release of a U.S. National Intelligence Estimate last month concluding that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 has hurt the Bush administration's tough stance toward Iran, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

The United Nations has previously approved two rounds of economic sanctions against Iran, first in December 2006 and then again in March 2007. Both of those sanctions regimes were considered weak after being watered down to achieve a consensus among the permanent five Security Council members. The second round of sanctions called for additional action after two months if Iran did not stop its uranium enrichment activities. Nearly a year later, Iran's uranium enrichment efforts continue. Global Security, a noted defense think tank, says that Iran is pursuing technology that has both civilian and military applications. And while Iran is not known to possess any nuclear weapons right now, Global Security says that Tehran could be as little as two years away from such a capability.

Despite the conclusions of the December National Intelligence Estimate, the Bush administration, along with France and Germany, has continued to push for tougher measures against Iran. But both China and Russia are heavily invested in business ventures with Iran, and both have led the resistance to efforts to impose additional, tougher economic sanctions against Tehran. No date has been set yet for consideration of the newly proposed measures by the full Security Council. When it does come to a vote, however, the measure will likely pass given concessions by key players in the sanctions process. Iran has repeatedly denounced UN efforts to impose economic sanctions targeting its nuclear program.

Sources: Council on Foreign Relations, Global Security,