(dpa) - The UN Security Council was poised Monday to take action on a draft resolution aimed at adding new sanctions against Iran in an effort to stop its nuclear activities suspected by Western nations of building weapons of mass destruction.
The 15-nation council completed last week the draft containing additional sanctions that were decided by the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain - the council's five permanent members - and Germany.
The draft invokes Article 41 of Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which allows the UN council to seek economic sanctions without relying on the use of force to implement a resolution. Chapter 7 usually has been invoked to establish peacekeeping operations in situations that require use of military force.
The draft expands sanctions previously imposed on Iran, from travel bans, asset freezes, export credit and financial monitoring to cargo inspections and a new deadline for Iran to comply.
The draft would request the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to report within 90 days from the resolution's adoption, whether Iran has fully suspended all nuclear activities.
Currently Iran is under an embargo on exports of arms and related material, which ordered UN members not to sell or transfer to Iran battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, warships, missiles or missile systems and attack helicopters.
The draft's new sanctions call for "vigilance and restraint" regarding the entry or transit of Iranians who are directly associated with or providing support for Iran's "proliferation of sensitive nuclear activities or for the development of nuclear weapon delivery system."
A freeze of assets in the future would be expanded to "persons and entities" that are assisting "designated persons or entities in evading sanctions or in violation" of previous sanctions.