The Associated Press, 28 September 2008 — The U.N. Security Council on Saturday unanimously approved a resolution that reaffirms previous sanctions on Iran for refusing to halt uranium enrichment for its nuclear program.

The U.S. and Russia reached a compromise Friday to lead a new effort to condemn Iran’s nuclear program, without introducing any new sanctions.

The brief resolution restates three earlier Security Council votes that imposed sanctions on Iran for refusing to halt uranium enrichment while the U.N. atomic watchdog agency investigates suspicions that Tehran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies it is doing that.

Sanctions include an embargo on sales to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, an export ban on arms and travel bans and asset freezes that “target” specific Iranian officials, banks and other entities.

The new resolution also calls on Tehran “to fully comply, without delay, with its obligations” and meet the requirements of the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei warned Monday that he could not determine whether Iran is hiding some nuclear activities, comments that appeared to reflect a high level of frustration with stonewalling of his investigators by the Iranians.

Those suspicious of Iran’s aims note uranium enrichment can produce the fissile material needed to make nuclear bombs, although lower levels of enrichment can be used as fuel for reactors.
The Security Council consulted privately for more than an hour Friday and agreed to hold further talks on the new resolution.