Translated material
Iran received resolution
The UN Security Council gave Tehran a month to think about it
Yesterday, the UN Security Council for the first time put the demands of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran in the form of a binding resolution numbered 1696. Now Tehran has a month to resolve disputes with the IAEA. Until August 31, Iran is required to “suspend all activities related to uranium enrichment and processing, including research and development.”If Iran does not comply with these demands, the Security Council will consider taking “appropriate measures” against this country, as provided for in Article 41 of Chapter VII of the UN Charter. This article allows for the application of economic sanctions, the cessation of transport links and even the severance of diplomatic relations. However, the resolution does not talk about the possibility of using military measures provided for in Article 42, so beloved by the Americans. This allows us to evaluate the resolution as a success of Russian diplomacy. As Russia's permanent representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin emphasized yesterday, “it is fundamentally important that any additional measures that may be subsequently required in order to implement the resolution exclude the use of military force.”
The draft resolution was introduced by France. This country chaired the Security Council in July and worked on the document together with Great Britain and Germany. Then Russia, the USA and China joined the discussions and managed to reach a compromise. Russia agreed to set a specific deadline for Iran to comply with the IAEA requirements, but achieved the exclusion from the text of the resolution of the provision on the automatic imposition of sanctions against Tehran in the event of its unsatisfactory response. If Iran does not stop uranium enrichment by August 31, Security Council members will hold new consultations. At the same time, the resolution requires all UN member countries to “be vigilant” now and prevent the transfer to Iran of materials used in nuclear enrichment and the creation of ballistic missiles.
In such a softened version, the document was adopted by an overwhelming majority: 14 votes in favor with one vote against by the representative of Qatar, who does not have the right of veto. The US President called the UN Security Council resolution on Iran “strong”. According to Bush, "the Iranians must now hear clearly from the world community, which will act together to prevent them from having nuclear weapons."
The main point of yesterday's resolution was to hurry Iran up. Back in early June, six countries (five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany) submitted proposals to Tehran to resolve the crisis surrounding its nuclear program. Iran was promised supplies of light water nuclear reactors, fuel for nuclear power plants and advanced industrial technologies in exchange for refusing or at least suspending its own uranium enrichment. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad promised to carefully study the proposed package and give a comprehensive response by the end of the month of Mordad according to the Iranian calendar, that is, by August 22. Now the Iranians will have to not only respond to proposals within a month, but also actually stop uranium enrichment.
The Security Council resolution did not please Tehran. President Ahmadinejad has already called this document “unacceptable” and once again stated that his country has the right to “take advantage of peaceful nuclear technologies.” Iran's permanent representative to the UN, Javad Zarif, said that "Iran's peaceful nuclear program does not pose a threat to international peace and security," therefore, "the consideration of this issue by the Security Council is unfounded and devoid of any legal basis or practical benefit."
According to the head of the Iranian sector at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Nina Mamedova, “the Iranian nuclear problem in the coming weeks will remain hostage to the development of the situation in the Lebanese-Israeli conflict zone.” In an interview with Vremya Novostei, Ms. Mamedova said that “Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the conservative circles of Iran behind him benefit from the current hot stage of the Middle East conflict.” The Israeli leadership, “continuing the military operation against the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, seems to be fueling the Iranian Shiite regime, which has promised to erase Israel from the world map,” notes Ms. Mamedova.