UN demands Iran stop nuclear work; Tehran objects

UNITED NATIONS, July 31 (Reuters) The U.N. Security Council today demanded Iran suspend its nuclear activities within a month or face the threat of sanctions, but Tehran rejected the move as illegal.

The council adopted a resolution demanding the suspension by a vote of 14 to 1, with Qatar, the only Arab member of the council, voting against.

The resolution, which follows weeks of negotiations, demands that Iran ''suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development.'' If Tehran does not comply by Aug. 31, the council would consider adopting ''appropriate measures'' under Article 41 of Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which refers to economic sanctions.

The resolution is the first on Iran with legally binding demands and a threat to consider sanctions. The United States and its allies suspect Iran is developing a nuclear bomb and accuse it of hiding research over 18 years.

''It's a strong resolution,'' U.S. President George W. Bush told reporters during a trip to Miami.

''The Iranians must hear loud and clear with this resolution the world's intent, upon working together, to make sure that they do not end up with a nuclear weapon.'' Iranian U.N. Ambassador Javad Zarif, in a lengthy statement on the history of Tehran's treatment by the West, reiterated the country's nuclear program was for peaceful purposes only.

''Iran's peaceful nuclear program poses no threat to international peace and security and therefore dealing with this issue in the Security Council is unwarranted and void of any legal basis or practical utility,'' Zarif told the council.

Qatar's U.N. ambassador, Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, said he voted ''no'' because of the raging conflict in the region between Israel and Hizbollah militants. ''We do not agree with the resolution at a time when our region is in flames,'' he said.

''STRONG RESPONSE'' But U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said Iran had been out of compliance with demands of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency, for three years.

''Sadly, Iran has consistently and brazenly defied the international community by continuing its pursuit of nuclear weapons, and the continued intransigence and defiance of the Iranian leadership demands a strong response from this council,'' Bolton said.

''The resolution adopted today does just that,'' he added.

Germany and the council's five permanent members with veto power -- the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain -- negotiated the text. The six in June offered a package of energy, commercial and technological incentives if Iran suspended it uranium enrichment work. Iran has said it will respond late next month.

Britain's U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said that if Iran suspends its nuclear work, the council would suspend its own actions over the matter.

Russia and China are reluctant to impose sanctions and Moscow's U.N. ambassador, Valery Churkin, has said the sanctions provision meant the council would have ''a discussion'' only on punitive measures.

The resolution is drafted under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, Article 40, which says the council, before taking any action, can call on those concerned to ''comply with such provisional measures as it deems necessary.'' Chapter 7 makes a resolution mandatory and provides options for enforcement. The document excludes any military action.

Reuters SKU DB2228