Major powers to meet on new Iran resolution

Washington, Feb 23: The permanent five members of the U N Security Council and Germany will meet in London on Monday to begin drafting a second sanctions resolution on Iran, U S Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said.

''We expect to see Iran repudiated again by the Security Council'' for its decision to defy U N demands that it suspend enrichment of uranium, Burns said during an appearance at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank yesterday.

Burns said he would travel to London for the meeting but gave no details on what a new resolution might look like. The permanent five members of the Security Council are Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U N's nuclear watchdog, earlier said Iran failed to meet a February 21 deadline to suspend enrichment of uranium, exposing Tehran to possible new sanctions over concerns it seeks to make an atomic bomb.

The U N Security Council imposed sanctions on Iran in a December 23 resolution that banned transfers of atomic technology and know-how to Iran. The resolution authorized the council to take further measures if Iran flouted the deadline.

Additional penalties might include a travel ban on senior Iranian officials and restrictions on nonnuclear business.

Reuters

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