Crucial Iran nuclear vote set for UN (on CSPAN now)

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Crucial Iran nuclear vote set for UN

The UN Security Council will vote today to decide whether to impose trade sanctions against Iran over its failure to halt uranium enrichment. Earlier disagreements over the contents of the draft have now been overcome, according to the Russian Ambassador to the UN. Activities which are completely legal, valid and have nothing to do with the risk of non-proliferation can be conducted without any hindrance or interference. It has been a difficult process. I think last night we were very close to mutual understanding on some of those issues so the main thing today is not to backtrack, he said.

http://euronews.net/create_html.php?page=detail_info&article=397580&lng=1

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. Putin, Bush discuss Iran resolution ahead of UN vote

Putin, Bush discuss Iran resolution ahead of UN vote
17:40 | 23/ 12/ 2006


MOSCOW, December 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart, George W. Bush, discussed a UN Security Council resolution on Iran in a telephone conversation Saturday, the official Kremlin spokesman said.

"The heads of state discussed the final stage in the UN Security Council's work on a draft resolution concerning Iran's nuclear program," Alexei Gromov said, but gave no further details.

The UN Security Council will vote on the draft resolution, introducing sanctions against Iran for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, later on Saturday.

The draft, prepared by Britain, France and Germany, demands that Tehran stop all enrichment and reprocessing activities, which the West fears may eventually enable Iran to produce a nuclear bomb, and bans imports and exports of related materials and technology.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20061223/57655297.html

[IDemo]

2. UN passes Iran sanctions

UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a resolution Saturday imposing sanctions against Iran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment, culminating two months of negotiations aimed at pressuring Tehran to clarify its nuclear ambitions.

The resolution orders all countries to ban the supply of specified materials and technology that could contribute to Iran's nuclear and missile programs. It also imposes an asset freeze on key companies and people in the country's nuclear and missile programs named on a U.N. list.

If Iran refuses to comply, the resolution warns Iran that the council will adopt further nonmilitary sanctions.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16337813/

[earlybelle]

3. Surrounded by nuke nations, (Israel, Pakistan, India, and US in Iraq) why shouldn't

Iran want nukes too? And why shouldn't the rest of the world stop being so hypocritical?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. they SAY it's just for electrical power...

but even it's not... it's only fair that they have the same capabilities as everyone else, right? :shrug:

:sigh: :( what a clusterfuck.

[INDIA]

5. I don't the UN should base it's mission on what ...

is and isn't "fair." They should do what is best for the whole world, and the world is better off with a non-nuclear Iran. (And even BETTER off with a non-nuclear armed world!)

And even so, I don't think it's "fair" to Israel and the rest of the world to let a country with such an unstable history and hateful rhetoric have nukes.

[oblivious]

6. I think it's just a face-saving measure for the US with Iran going along pretending to be indignant.

1. So 10 companies will have their assets frozen (but the parent company of three of them was taken off the list at the last minute).

2. Twelve individuals have their assets frozen (as if they left any assets outside Iran to be frozen when told this was coming)

3. No one can export materials and technology that could contribute to Iran's nuclear and missile programs. (I assume this refers to nuclear weapons, so it shouldn't bother Iran since they say they have no interest in nuclear weapons.)

4. But Russia can conduct legitimate nuclear activities in Iran, including the Bushler reactor (so it's business as usual).

Conclusion: Iran and Russia are the big winners here. This is a meaningless face-saving measure for the US so they can bellow "See? Unanimous! It's unanimous! The whole world agrees with us. Iran is isolated."

While the Iranians giggle.