The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution Monday giving Iran until August 31 to suspend uranium enrichment. Iranian Ambassador to United Nations Mohammad Javad Zarif rejected the council action, saying it would only make negotiations more difficult concerning a package of incentives offered in June for it to suspend enrichment.
"All along it has been the persistence of some to draw arbitrary red lines and deadlines that has closed the door to any compromise," he said. "This tendency has single-handedly blocked success and in most cases killed proposals in their infancy. "This approach will not lead to any productive outcome and in fact it can only exacerbate the situation."
The draft now essentially requires the council to hold more discussions before it considers sanctions.
The draft passed by a vote of 14-1. Qatar, which represents Arab states on the council, cast the lone dissenting vote.
After the resolution was adopted, Zarif told the council it had no legal legitimacy to demand Iran suspend uranium enrichment and reprocessing.
