UNSC to vote on Iran resolution

UNITED NATIONS: The Security Council is all set to vote on Sunday on a resolution seeking to expand sanctions against Iran to punish it for defying the Council demand to stop enriching uranium even as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cancelled his visit to present Tehran's case before the UN body.

Iran blamed America for the cancellation saying they had delayed the issuance of visas to the crew of the special plane which would have carried Ahmedinejad to New York for the meeting.

America, however, rejected the argument, saying they had issued visas to 75 people and the Iranian president is afraid to take the heat in the Council for his defiance of its
demands.

The resolution would expand the list of individuals and entities whose worldwide assets were sought to frozen under the previous sanctions resolution by 28, ban export of
arms by Iran and ask major arms suppliers to use caution while selling heavy weapons.

The individuals and entities whose assets are sought to be frozen are said to be associated with the country's nuclear and missile programme and one-third of them reportedly associated with elite Revolutionary Guards.

The ambiguous language on export of arms to Iran was crafted to bring veto wielding Russia, a major supplier of arms to Iran, on board. A blanket ban would have had
implications for Moscow, diplomats said.

On a day of fast moving developments, diplomats first said Ahmadinejad is expected today, then reports of 15 marines being detained by the Iranian navy for alleged trespassing into the country's waters surprised diplomats and officials alike and finally Iranian diplomats in New York said their president is not coming.

Iran said instead of Ahmadinejad, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki will attend the Council meeting.

The Council did not discuss detention of the British marines to give time to the two countries to resolve the issue and in part because it did not want take up the issue until at least the new sanctions resolution is adopted.

During the day-long consultations, the five permanent veto wielding members of the Council-- the United States, Britain, Russia, France and China-- managed to resolve the concerns of the remaining ten elected non-permanent members though they did not agree to any of the amendments proposed by South Africa, Indonesia and Qatar.

Late last evening, western diplomats said they expect a unanimous vote which will send a strong message to Iran that the international community is united that Tehran must abandon its uranium enrichment programme.

During the day-long discussions on Friday, the sponsors had to deal with the demand from Indonesia and Qatar that the resolution call for making Middle East a zone free
of weapons of mass destruction and missiles which can deliver them.