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Iran sanctions resolution passed at UN, 12-2

The United Nations Security Council has voted to pass a new Iran sanctions resolution. Twelve nations on the 15-member body voted for the resolution, while Turkey and Brazil voted against it, and Lebanon abstained. "We know that the Iranian government will not change its behavior overnight, but todays vote demonstrates the growing costs that will come with Iranian intransigence," President Barack Obama said on the U.N. Iran vote. "And I want to be clear: These sanctions do not close the door on diplomacy. Iran continues to have the opportunity to take a different and better path." But, Obama continued, "Actions do have consequences, and today the Iranian government will face some of those consequences." The Security Council vote had been expected to take place at 10 a.m., but was slightly delayed as Lebanon agonized over how it would vote, when it became clear that Turkey had decided to vote against the resolution and would not abstain, diplomatic sources said. Turkey and Brazil have urged the international community to take up a nuclear fuel swap offer they negotiated with Iran last month and to use that as a starting point for a return to nuclear negotiations with Iran. The U.S., Russia and France outlined their objections to the Brazil-Turkey-Iran agreement in formal responses to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Associated Press reported. Among them, that the agreement still leaves Iran enough fissile material for a nuclear breakout capacity, does not call for Iran to halt uranium enrichment as three past U.N. Security Council resolutions have demanded, and does not call for Iran to provide the IAEA verification that its nuclear program is for purely peaceful purposes. The Security Council is due to hold a closed meeting this afternoon to discuss the Turkey-Brazil-Iran fuel swap agreement, CNN reported. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned yesterday that Iran would withdraw its offer to send out 1,200 kg of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey if the Security Council voted in favor of sanctioning Iran.

Meantime, several members of Congress praised the Obama administration's diplomatic success in New York, while some vowed to pursue more vigorous unilateral U.S. sanctions targeting foreign entities involved in Iran's refinedpetroleum sector. We now look to the European Union and other key nations that share our deep concern about Iran's nuclear intentions to build on the Security Council resolution by imposing tougher national measures that will deepen Iran's isolation and, hopefully, bring the Iranian leadership to its senses," Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement. "The U.S. Congress will do its part by passing sanctions legislation later this month." Berman and Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) head up a conference committee reconciling Iran sanctions legislation that has already passed both houses of Congress. "Todays vote is a huge win for the United States and for American leadership in the international community," Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) said. "These sanctions have teeth, and this vote is a big win. "The sanctions are not an end in themselves," the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The resolution reaffirms "that we want to reach a negotiated solution which meets the needs of Iran while reassuring the international community as to the purposes of its nuclear program. ...The door to dialogue remains open and we hope that Iran will finally decide to cooperate."

Since 2006, the United Nations Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions against Iran in response to its nuclear programme. Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council adopted resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008) and 1929 (2010) imposing sanctions against Iran in response to the proliferation risks presented by Iran's nuclear programme in light of Iran's continuing failure to meet the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and to comply with the

provisions of earlier Security Council resolutions. These resolutions require Iran to fully cooperate with the IAEA and to suspend all uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities. The Regulations Implementing the United Nations Resolutions on Iran, as amended, implement the decisions of the Security Council in Canadian domestic law. Implementation of the travel bans imposed by resolutions 1803 (2008) and 1929 (2010) is ensured in Canada under existing provisions of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The measures imposed against Iran pursuant to United Nations Security Council resolutions include:

a prohibition on the export to Iran of certain items, materials, equipment, goods and technology which could contribute to Iran's uranium enrichment-related, reprocessing or heavy water-related activities, or to the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems (the Iran Regulations refer to a number of goods listed in the International Atomic Energy Agency's Information Circulars INFCIRC/254/Rev.9/Part 1 and INFCIRC/254/Rev.7/Part 2 and UN Security Council document S/2010/263, as well as to a number of goods listed in Group 1 (DualUse List) and Group 2 (Munitions List) in A Guide to Canada's Export Controls), available in PDF format on the website of the DFAIT Export and Import Controls Bureau); a prohibition on the provision to any person in Iran of technical assistance, financial services, brokerage or other services related to the supply, sale, transfer, manufacture or use of any of the products subject to the export ban; a prohibition on making available to any person in Iran any property, financial assistance or investment, related to the supply, sale, transfer, manufacture or use of any of the products subject to the export ban; a prohibition on making property or financial services available to Iran for the purpose of investing in specified nuclear-related activities; a prohibition on providing any technology in respect of any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons; and; a prohibition on the export to Iran of any battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, large caliber artillery systems, combat aircrafts, attack helicopters, warships, missiles or missile systems; a prohibition on the import from Iran of arms and related material and items related to proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities or to the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems (listed in the International Atomic Energy Agency's Information Circulars INFCIRC/254/Rev.9/Part 1 and INFCIRC/254/Rev.7/Part 2 and UN Security Council document S/2010/263);

an assets freeze against persons and entities engaged in Iran's uranium enrichment-related, reprocessing or heavy water-related activities, or in the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems, who have been listed by the Security Council or the Committee established pursuant to paragraph 18 of resolution 1737 (2006) ("the 1737 Committee"); a travel ban against persons listed by the Security Council or the 1737 Committee as being involved in Iran's nuclear programme; and a prohibition against claims by Iran or designated persons in relation to any transactions prevented by reason of the sanctions imposed against Iran.

Canada also has certain policy measures in place with regard to Iran, outside the context of United Nations Security Council decisions. More information on these measures can be found at the following link: Canada-Islamic Republic of Iran relations.

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