Iran
Sanctions
Include One Scientist and Bank, But Not Central Bank, After Months of
Theatrics
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
June 9, updated below -- Iran nuclear
sanctions came onto the UN Security
Council's agenda for a vote on Wednesday morning. After months of
posturing and off the record briefings, the U.S. and France seemed
most smug about their accomplishment, with Russia and China bemused,
their business dealings with Iran hardly impacted.
Turkey
and Brazil
had intervened and been rebuffed. The proponents had decided to
proceed whether these two and Lebanon abstained or voted no. But as
Inner City Press has asked on this site since the beginning of the
process, what will the sanctions accomplish?
The
annexes to the
resolution, closely guarded by the Permanent Five members until just
before the vote, impose sanctions on 41 additional organizations and
a lone individual, Javad Rahiqi, chief of the Isfahan Nuclear
Technology Center. The First East Export Bank is on, but not the
Central Bank, whose inclusion China blocked. Of the Central Bank, the
resolution says only to exercise vigilance.
Also
on the list
is Khatam al-Ahbiya Construction and other affiliates of the Islamic
Revolutionary Guards Corp or IRGC. But as non-Iranian companies are
blocked from doing business in the country, the IRGC simply gains
more market share.
Susan Rice, Iran's Central Bank not shown
With
a
crush of media penned in at the doorway of the Council chamber, the
Ambassadors paraded in on Wednesday morning. Nearly all the players
had promised to speak on the record to the Press after the vote. By
then, of course, what they'd say would matter much less. It would be
down to fact boxes and vote counts. Some had scheduled parties after
the vote. But what would be accomplished?
Inner
City Press
will be live blogging Wednesday morning's proceedings here. Watch
this space.
Update
of
10:04 a.m -- Susan Rice has appeared with entourage, security, two
spokesman and wearing what one wag reporter called a militarized
kimono or cloak with a turquoise stripe, somehow reminiscent of a
sports warm up suit, in Toronto Blue Jays colors. Less flashy,
France's Araud, UK's Lyall Grant and Li Baodong of China all went in.
Iran will speak -- after the vote.
Update
of
10:17 a.m. -- viewed from the mezzanine of the new basement
Security Council chamber, it is a UN day of pomp and circumstance.
Araud of France chats with Syria's and Sudan's Ambassadors. Israel's
Danny Carmone stands with Norway's Mona Juul, she of the fiery anti
Ban Ki-moon memo. Ban is in Burundi...
Update
of
10:39 a.m. -- clearly, we are on UN time. The vote was said to be
at 10 a.m., but the meeting has yet to begin. At Russia's chair,
Dolgov whispers in the ear of Vitaly Churkin, spotted Tuesday night
after the Russian Language Day event in the Ex-Press Bar, handing his
handwritten notes for speech to a Russian journalist. Japan's Takasu
stands with his delegation. But Araud of France continues to schmooze
other Ambassadors. Sudan's Perm Rep is now speaking with Libya and
Iraq. Sudan is pitching a book called "The International
Criminal Court is Guantanamo Bay for African Leaders," a review
copy has been promised. With this much delay, might be a good time to
start reading for review...
Update
of
10:59 a.m. -- Inner City Press is told there will be 13 speakers
but "they are talking to capitals." Our read: squeeze is
being put on Turkey, Lebanon and Brazil to ratchet up from no to
abstain, or even, at least for one, yes...
Update
of
11:13 a.m. -- a hush has fallen over the Chamber. Susan Rice was
"behind the white wall" speaking on the phone. Some fix is
in, but Twitter is "overcapacity." Will live blog vote
result here as soon as hands are raised -- or not.
Update
of
11:19 a.m. - "Brazil will vote AGAINST the resolution...
sanctions will most probably lead to suffering of the people of
Iran... the case of Iraq... contrary to successful efforts of Brazil
and Turkey... Tehran declaration."
Update
of 11:26 a.m. - twitter's back, so
At
#UN,
#Turkey beats around the Bush then says Vienna Group response
only hours old, so Turkey will vote AGAINST
@
#UN
#Lebanon doesn't speak b/f #Iran vote, abstains. Vote is TAKEN 12
for, 2 vs, 1 abstain. #SusanRice begins: strong arming didn't work
* * *
On
Iran
Sanctions, As Turkey and Brazil "Vent," Vote
Approaches, Choreography Finalized
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
June 8 -- Iran sanctions are slated to be voted on in the UN
Security Council as early as June 9, but Turkey and Brazil have
requested first the consideration of their nuclear deal with Tehran,
which they say has not been considered. Turkey's Ambassador to the
UN, emerging from the Council chamber late on June 7 told the Press
that Iran, too, should be heard from before any sanctions vote.
"Let
them
vent," a Western diplomat told Inner City Press, predicting the
vote will proceed on June 9. Another Western Council member's
spokesman said all the remained to be decided was the "choreography."
He predicted that the resolution's annexes would imminently be
finalized and "go blue," starting the 24 hour clock to a
possible vote.
But
on June 8 from
Tehran came the statement that the imposition of new sanctions will
stop any negotiations. Analysts say that the sanctions proponents
expected this. Their goal, the BBC propagated Tuesday morning, is to
harm Iran's economy and undermine the regime of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Ahmadinejad in the GA, Security Council choreography
not shown
Some
wonder at the
different approach taken to North Korea, which actually developed
crude nuclear weapons, and according to South Korea sank its ship the
Cheonan, killing 46 sailors aboard. Sanctions are not being sought
against the regime of Kim Jong-Il, on the theory that it would only
lead to worse and more bellicose behavior.
So
just as banks
sue small debtors but cater to those owing $100 million dollars, the
Security Council sanctions those who still negotiate while running
scared of the real outlaw states. What message does it send?
Inner
City Press
will be covering the June 8 Security Council action in real time,
stay tuned.
Update
of
1:44 p.m. -- Emerging from the morning's UNSC consultations, US
Ambassador Susan Rice said a "strong" resolution will be
passed tomorrow. She did not respond when asked if non affirmative
votes, presumably by Turkey, Brazil and perhaps Lebanon, would weaken
the resolution. Sources say that the annexes contain, along with
organizations, a lone individual, whose name is not yet known.
There
will be a
"closed" debate, with non Council members, at 3 p.m., and for now a
vote on
the resolution at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Watch this site.
Update
of
4:49 p.m. -- the closed debate is over. Susan Rice took two
questions, on whether the sanctions are binding. She called the
financial aspects of the resolution "groundbreaking." But
would they bar, for example, Chinese investment in Iran's energy
industry?
More
informative
was a self-described "Turkish diplomat," who said Turkey
had been frustrated by how its and Brazil's deal with Tehran was
treated by the Council. He was asked if the US is asking Turkey to
abstain rather than vote no. This is diplomacy, he said. But could
there be a trade off involving the US's position on the investigation
of Israel's assault on the flotilla to Gaza?
The
Turkish
diplomat said that when they voted for the flotilla resolution, it
was there understanding it had to be a UN-led investigation, on the
theory that no investigation by Israel -- "a party" --
could be impartial. The US' Alejandro Wolff that night said the US
thought Israel would take the lead.
Could
Turkey's
position on Iran sanction switch from opposition to abstention in
exchange for US support for a UN-lead flotilla investigation?
* * *
, 
