U.N. will vote on sanctions against Iran

Tehran is suspected of trying to develop nuclear weapons.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Britain and France circulated a revised U.N. sanctions resolution against Iran on Wednesday and predicted it would be approved Friday after it was amended to meet Russian objections.
The new draft dropped a mandatory travel ban against about a dozen Iranians involved in the country's nuclear and missile programs, which Russia said was an unnecessary punishment of Iran.
Russia and China, which have strong commercial ties to Iran, have not indicated whether they will vote in favor of the new draft.
"What I am confident is that there will be a vote on this before Christmas and that that resolution will carry." Britain's U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said.
He said later that the draft could still be changed before the vote, now scheduled for Friday morning. Council members are expected to discuss the revised text today.
Iran insists its nuclear program is aimed solely at the peaceful production of nuclear energy, but the Americans and Europeans suspect Tehran's ultimate goal is the production of nuclear weapons.
The latest draft would order all countries to ban the supply of specified materials and technology that could contribute to Iran's nuclear and missile programs. It would also impose an asset freeze on key companies and individuals in the country's nuclear and missile programs identified on a U.N. list.
Instead of the travel ban, the draft resolution now calls on all states "to exercise vigilance" regarding the entry or transit through their territory of those on a U.N. list -- which now includes 12 top Iranians but more can be added by the council.
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