US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice immediately hailed the vote, saying: "The council has risen to its responsibilities. Now Iran should choose a wiser course."
Tehran maintains that its uranium enrichment programme is for peaceful civilian purposes.
Strengthening of existing sanctions
The current partial ban on arms sales to Iran will be expanded under the new UN resolution. Eight new categories of heavy weapons, including tanks, attack helicopters and heavy-calibre artillery systems, will no longer be permitted to be sold to the country.
Lighter weapons can still be sold to Iran by other states, but the Security Council urged vendors to do so with "vigilance" and "restraint".
In relation to maritime activity, the sanctions would authorise countries to inspect cargo ships that are in their own territorial waters and are heading to or from Iran.The UN calls upon all states to inspect suspicious ships, but these controls are neither systematic nor mandatory.
The sanctions regime also extends penalties to some 40 Iranian individuals and entities that are part of the government or linked to its nuclear activities. For example, the head of the Nuclear Technology Centre of Isfahan will now join the list of Iranians who have their international assets frozen and are forbidden to travel abroad.
Significant concessions from the West
The absence of completely new or comprehensive sanctions reflects continuing disagreements at the heart of the Security Council, and is the result of significant concessions by the West.
Always cautious of sanctions deemed too restrictive, China and Russia once more succeeded in watering down the penalties.
by France 24
