Officials said UN members would
be banned from selling such heavy weapons as main battle tanks, combat
aircraft and ballistic missiles to Teheran's military, Middle East Newsline reported.
Earlier, officials acknowledged that Obama agreed not to oppose Russian plans to
deliver the S-300 to Iran in exchange for the Kremlin's support for the
resolution. Turkey was the only NATO member to vote against the resolution.
"Eight items have been added to the list of armaments liable for
sanctions," Konstantin Kosachyov, chairman of the Russian parliament's
Foreign Affairs Committee, said. "But there are no defensive systems, such
as S-300 missiles, on the list."
Much of the resolution reiterated previous declarations by the UN,
including a ban on Iranian uranium enrichment and reprocessing. The Security
Council, however, updated the list of dual-use items prohibited for export
to Teheran.
"I don't think sanctions had a great history of being effective," Paul
Burke, a leading security analyst and managing director Britain's Middle
East Security told the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research in
Abu Dhabi.
A White House statement said the sanctions ban the sale of conventional
weapons and ballistic missiles to Iran. The ban was said to focus on eight
categories of heavy weapons — main battle tanks, armored combat vehicles,
large caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters,
warships, missiles or missile systems.
"States are similarly prohibited from providing technical or financial
assistance for such systems, or spare parts," the White House said. "States
are also to exercise vigilance and restraint in supplying any other arms or
related materiel to Iran."
The council also decided to restrict the activities of Iran's
state-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines and Iran Air, said to be
controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. But the Security
Council did not block UN members from dealing with these two Iranian
companies, deemed as being the leading transporters of components for
Teheran's missile and nuclear programs. In all 75 Iranian entities would be
affected by the latest sanctions.
"States are required to ensure their nationals exercise vigilance when
doing business with any Iranian firm, including IRGC and IRISL, to make sure
such business does not contribute to Iran's proliferation," the White House
said.
Russia has reiterated that it would deliver the S-300 to Iran, a $1
billion project said to be more than a year behind schedule. Hours after the
Security Council vote, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned that it would not
allow sanctions to be imposed on Russian companies that trade with Iran.
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