New U.N. sanctions can hurt Iran

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WASHINGTON, March 28 (UPI) -- The latest U.N. Security Council proposals for more sanctions on Iran can damage Iran, a U.S. military expert said Tuesday.

"The draft U.N. resolution S/2007/170 conspicuously does not bind states from selling Iran conventional arms, and its provisions on limiting the transfer of technology and components for 'missile programs' and 'nuclear weapons delivery programs' are vague, since much of what Iran needs have dual uses in the civilian or conventional arms sector," Anthony H. Cordesman, who holds the Arleigh A. Burke chair in strategy at the Center for Straewtgic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, wrote in a new analysis published Tuesday.

The Security Council resolution, "does, however, raise important potential limits on the transfer of any system that can be used for nuclear delivery purposes, which would include virtually any modern combat aircraft, raises questions about long-range conventional missiles, and might well block any sale of major SAM systems deployed to protect nuclear facilities," Cordesman wrote in his analysis, entitled "U.N. Sanctions and Iranian Arms Imports."

Cordesman said the key provision in the draft resolution urged "all states to exercise vigilance and restraint in the supply, sale or transfer directly or indirectly from their territories or by their nationals or using their flag vessels or aircraft of any battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, large caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles or missile systems as defined for the purpose of the United Nations Register on Conventional Arms to Iran."

"This could be a major tool in putting pressure on Iran since conventional arms and missile component imports are critical to Iran's military readiness and modernization," Cordesman wrote.