Documents
In the case of Iran, the September 24, 2005, the IAEA Board of Governors adopted the resolution (GOV/2005/77)12 stating that the Board found Iran’s failures and breaches of its obligations to comply with its NPT Safeguards Agreement.
According to the Resolution, Iran had intentionally concealed its nuclear activities since September 2002 when the Agency’s verification of declarations made by Iran showed noncompliance and there was progress. Thus absence of confidence that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes gave rise to questions that were within the competence of the Security Council, which is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security.
Iran announced in January 2006 that it would resume research and development on its centrifuges at Natanz. In response, in February 2006 the IAEA Board of Governors resolution was adopted 13 demanding to reconsider the construction of Iranian heavy-water reactor and ratifying the IAEA Additional Protocol and asked the UN Security Council within its main responsibility to consider the problem with Iranian.
Since then the United Nations Security Council has adopted six resolutions as part of international efforts to address Iran’s nuclear program: 1696 (July 2006), 1737 (December 2006), 1747 (March 2007), 1803 (March 2008), 1835 (September 2008), 1929 (June 2010). The second, third, fourth, and sixth resolutions imposed a variety of restrictions on Iran.
The central demand by the Council is that Iran suspends its uranium enrichment program, as well as undertakes several confidence-building measures outlined in February 2006 the IAEA Board of Governors resolution. The Council initially laid out these calls in a nonbinding Security Council presidential statement adopted in March 200614.
On March 29, 2006, the U.N. Security Council President issued a statement, which was not legally binding, that called on Iran to “take the steps required” by the February IAEA Board resolution.
Resolution 169615 was the first to place legally binding Security Council requirements on Iran with respect to its nuclear program. That resolution made mandatory the IAEA-demanded suspension and called on Tehran to implement the transparency measures called for by the IAEA board’s February 2006 resolution.
Resolution 173716 reiterated these requirements but expanded the suspension’s scope to include “work on all heavy water-related projects.” It listed certain Iranian individuals and entities whose “funds, other financial assets and economic resources,” states were required to freeze. Moreover, Resolution 1737 prevented Iran from exporting designated nuclear and ballistic missile-related items.
Resolution 1747 (March 2007)17 added the names of 28 more individuals and entities to the list of Resolution 1737. This resolution also expands the list of items prohibited for export to or import from Iran. According to the document Iran “shall not supply, sell or transfer…any arms or related material,” as well as and must prohibit the procurement of such material from Iran.
In addition Resolution 1747 introduces a number of new sanctions. First, it calls on states to “exercise vigilance and restraint” in the supply, sale, or transfer of major military weapons systems and related material to Iran, as well as the provision of any technical assistance, financial assistance, or other service related to the provision of these items. Second, Resolution 1747 calls on states and international financial institutions “not to enter into new commitments for grants, financial assistance, and concessional loans” with the Iranian government unless they are for humanitarian or developmental purposes18.
Resolution 1803 (March 2008) for the first time requires states to “prevent the entry into or transit through their territories” of designated individuals involved in pursuing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Furthermore, it calls on states to inspect cargo going to or from Iran on aircraft and vessels owned or operated by Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line, where they have reasonable grounds for suspecting the cargo consists of goods prohibited under previous resolutions.
Resolution 183519 (September 2008) did not impose new sanctions, but reaffirmed the previous resolutions and called on Iran to comply with them.
Last Resolution 192920 (2010) bans Iran from investing in nuclear and missile technology abroad, including investment in uranium mining. It establishes a complete arms embargo on Iran, banning the sale of “battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, large caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles or missile systems”21 to Iran. Iran is also prohibited from undertaking any activity related to ballistic missiles, and the resolution requires states to take necessary measures to prevent technology relevant to ballistic missiles from reaching Iran. It also updates the list of items banned for transfer to and from Iran.
Resolution 1929 subjects Iran to a new inspection regime designed to detect and stop Iranian smuggling. States are called upon to inspect vessels on their territory that are suspected of carrying Iranian prohibited cargo, and are expected to comply with these rules on the high seas, including disposing of confiscated Iranian prohibited cargo. States are also required to refuse services to ships that are not in compliance with these sanctions.
Lastly, this resolution includes financial sanctions targeting Iran’s ability to finance proliferation activities. Three companies related to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines are subject to an asset freeze and states are requested to report any circumventing of sanctions by Iran. States must require their citizens and corporations to “exercise vigilance” when doing business with Iran or Iranian entities that contribute to proliferation efforts. 15 IRGC-related companies and 40 other Iranian companies are subject to an asset freeze. States are also called upon to limit their interactions with Iranian financial institutions22.
It is necessary to underline that despite all these tough measures the Security Council has acknowledged Iran’s rights under Article IV of the NPT, which states that parties to the treaty have “the inalienable right...to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes”23. The only precondition of ending sanctions against Iran is to stop questionable activities and comply with the requirements of the Additional Protocol.
As for Israel there are a number of Resolutions regarding Arab-Israeli conflicts. But they are not the subject of our consideration.
As for nuclear issue one of the most important documents is the UN Security Council Resolution 487 adopted on June 19, 1981 following an Israeli attack on Iraqi nuclear installations on June 7. It strongly condemned “the military attack by Israel in clear violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the norms of international conduct and called on “Israel to refrain in the future from any such acts or threats.” Moreover it required Israel to “place its nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards”24.