Mar.16 - Six major nations reached agreement Thursday on a draft resolution imposing tougher sanctions against Iran on its unyielding nuclear program.

 

The six powers -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- announced the agreement after a series of arduous consultations by their ambassadors during the past two weeks with the latest one on Thursday morning.

 

The draft calls upon nations and international financial institutions not to enter into new commitments for "grants, financial assistance and concessional loans" to Iran except for" humanitarian and developmental purposes."

 

It also contains measures to imposes an embargo on conventional weapons Iran can export but calls on states to "exercise vigilance and restraint" in shipping any heavy weapons to Iran.

 

Meanwhile, a mandatory travel ban has been dropped and instead restraint was added. The draft calls on states to "exercise vigilance and restraint" in barring travel by Iranian officials engaged in or directly associated with sensitive nuclear activities or nuclear weapon delivery systems. In regard to this issue, the draft contains an annex which expands the list of people included in the December resolution.

 

It also decides to extend an assets freeze to additional groups, companies and individuals engaged in or supporting sensitive nuclear activities or development of ballistic missiles.

 

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said that "Iran must respect the concerns of the international community," adding that "the strength of the regime of nonproliferation is very high concerned. This is the context we are dealing with the situation."

 

He stressed that cooperation between Iran and the international community has not been found to be satisfactory.

 

"There are certain activities that many members of the international community are concerned may lead to situation where a regime of nonproliferation may be endangered," Churkin said."

 

Under those circumstances, the Security Council has to act and continues to act in the context of a clear strategy which is aimed at diplomatic negotiation and political outcome of Iranian nuclear issue."

 

He emphasized that "it must be a matter of mutual respect and mutual cooperation," saying the package of the six offers not only draft but also enormous opportunities to the Iranian side.

 

"Iran has the right to develop peaceful nuclear energy. However, it must be done in the context where there is no concerns about potential problem about the regime of nonproliferation," the Russian ambassador said.

 

On Feb. 22, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a report filed in Vienna to its 35-nation board of governors and the UN Security Council that "Iran has not suspended its enrichment-related activities."

 

The UN Security Council passed a resolution on Dec. 23, 2006, asking Iran to suspend uranium enrichment in 60 days. However, Iran has failed to do so and claimed its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only.

 

Washington has accused Tehran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian program, a charge that Iran denies.