The U.N. Security Council approved a third round of sanctions against Iran on Monday with near unanimous support. For the first time, the resolution bars trade with Iran in goods which have both civilian and military uses. The vote was 14-0 with one abstention from Indonesia. Among the supporters were Libya, South Africa and Vietnam.
Iran's U.N. Ambassador Mohammad Khazee told the council just before the vote that the government would not comply with the "unlawful action" against its "peaceful nuclear program." "The international community is today witness to the fact that this council is once again taken advantage of for adopting an illegal decision against a proud and resolute nation that is merely defending its legal rights in accordance with international laws and conventions," he declared.
Britain and France, who co-sponsored the resolution, put off the vote from Saturday until Monday to try to get them on board.
According to the AP, the measures include freezing the assets of about a dozen companies and a dozen individuals with links to Iran's nuclear or ballistic missile programs. It would require countries to "exercise vigilance" and report the travel or transit of those individuals. It would also impose a travel ban on several individuals linked to Iran's nuclear effort.
According to the resolution, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi is a prominent figure in the Revolutionary Guard military corps and is close to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The resolution identifies him as head of the state anti-smuggling headquarters engaged in efforts to get around previous UN sanctions.
The resolution also introduces financial monitoring on two banks with suspected links to proliferation activities, Bank Melli and Bank Saderat.
