On December 23, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution against Iran for refusing to suspend its nuclear research program. The resolution stipulates that all countries must stop supplying Iran with nuclear technology and materials that could enable the Islamic Republic to proceed with its suspected atomic weapons program.
"We hope the Iranian leadership will properly assess the situation and take concrete measures to implement Resolution 1737 in order to restore [international] trust in Iran's nuclear program," Vitaly Churkin said.
Churkin said Iran failed to fulfill the demands of the previous Resolution 1696 to suspend uranium enrichment activities as a condition for negotiations on a package of proposals offered to Iran by six world powers (Russia, China, Britain, France, the United States and Germany).
Iran said then it would not halt its enrichment activities because its nuclear research program was meant for peaceful purposes and complied with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The ambassador said that given such a response, the Security Council had no choice but to draft a new resolution.
The final, revised version prohibits all programs related to nuclear weapons, but allows Iranian officials to travel abroad and imposes no ban on international trade conducted by Iranian companies.
The resolution also bans all activities related to uranium enrichment, chemical reprocessing, and the construction of heavy-water reactors and nuclear weapons delivery vehicles.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier: "This resolution maintains the economic interests of Russia and other partners of Iran."
He said all the contracts signed earlier would remain valid, including a project to construct an $800 million light-water reactor at the Bushehr nuclear power plant, and a contract on deliveries of the Russian defense systems Tor-M1 and S-300.
"The resolution contains a special provision that all contracts signed by the time the resolution was adopted will remain in force and will be implemented," he said.
Churkin also said that under the resolution, any cooperation with Iran not linked to prohibited activities could be implemented.
"This decision also leaves the door open to the resumption of talks with Iran if Tehran fulfills relevant demands," the diplomat said.
