FACTBOX: Sanctions against Iran

Tue Mar 4, 2008 9:17am EST
 
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(Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council has ratcheted up sanctions on Iran for refusing to suspend nuclear enrichment and other sensitive activities.

Following are details about the sanctions and those already imposed by the U.N. Security Council and the United States.

* WHAT DO THE NEW U.N. SANCTIONS INCLUDE?

-- The sanctions resolution called for more travel and financial curbs on Iranian individuals and companies and makes some restrictions mandatory.

-- It also expanded a previous partial ban on trade in items with both civilian and military uses to cover sales of all such technology to Iran.

-- The new resolution adds the names of 13 individuals and 12 companies to the list of people and firms suspected of aiding Iran's nuclear and missile programs.

-- Tehran has so far ignored all council and IAEA resolutions demanding it freeze its uranium enrichment program.

* WHAT SANCTIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN IMPOSED?

U.N. SANCTIONS:

-- The U.N. Security Council imposed two sets of sanctions on Iran, in December 2006 and March 2007. Both sets were approved by the five permanent Council members -- the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia -- plus Germany, in the so-called P5+1.

-- The first round covered sensitive nuclear materials and froze the assets of Iranian individuals and companies associated with the program. It gave Iran 60 days to suspend uranium enrichment, a process which can be used to make nuclear power plant fuel or bomb material. Iran did not stop.

-- The second round included new arms and financial sanctions. It extended an asset freeze to 28 additional groups, companies and individuals engaged in or supporting sensitive nuclear activities or development of ballistic missiles.

-- State-run Bank Sepah and commanders and firms controlled by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, including commanders of one of its units, the Qods Force, were included on the list.

-- The resolution invoked Chapter 7, Article 41 of the U.N. Charter, which makes most of its provisions mandatory but excludes military action. Iran again failed to meet a 60-day deadline to halt enrichment.

* U.S. SANCTIONS:

-- The United States has imposed various sanctions on Iran since 1979 after radical Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran and took U.S. diplomats hostage.  Continued...

 

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