Iran: New UN resolution big mistake

Iran has warned the US and its Western allies against pushing for a fourth round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear drive at the UN Security Council.

“Efforts by three Western countries to adopt a new resolution against Tehran will be a big mistake,” said Iran’s UN Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee Tuesday, quoted by IRNA.

He added that the “hasty” move would derail efforts to resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear energy program.

The Iranian diplomat accused the US, Britain and France of adopting double standards on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

“This is a big mistake that is condemned by the international community,” Khazaee said.

He added that the US and certain permanent members of the UN Security Council oppose Israel’s joining the NPT but at the same time push for sanctions against Tehran, which is a signatory to the NPT and has no nuclear weapons.

The 15-member UN Security Council is to vote on Wednesday on a US-initiated resolution for a fourth round of sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The decision comes after closed-door talks between members of the Security Council, following Brazil and Turkey’s call for an open debate on Iran’s nuclear issue.

The US, which has garnered the support of the council’s other veto-wielding members, Britain, China, France and Russia, has stepped up its anti-Iran rhetoric ahead of the vote.

In a press conference in Istanbul Tuesday, Iran’s President Ahmadinejad described the UN Security Council as the “most undemocratic institution in the world,” referring to the veto powers of its permanent members. He stressed that it is unacceptable for a few countries to overrule even the UN’s General Assembly.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday he expected new UN sanctions against Iran to be agreed “very soon.”