Iran Press/ America: The new proposed US resolution, seen by the Financial Times and due to be made public on Wednesday, comprised four terse paragraphs in place of the earlier 13-page draft circulated among members.
It dropped tough language attempting to enlist other countries to conduct vessel inspections and weapons seizures and listing specific Iranians for travel bans and asset freezes.
Despite the changes, Security Council members were still expected to reject the effort, which will aim to extend indefinitely an arms embargo on Iran due to end on October 18, when it was set to expire under the terms of a landmark nuclear deal agreed in 2015 with Tehran.
Washington had earlier hoped to persuade Estonia or Tunisia — Security Council members friendly to the US — to submit a compromise resolution. But last-minute talks on Monday and Tuesday with US diplomats failed to produce a result, and Washington determined to submit the resolution itself, according to two people briefed on the matter.
Observers said the Trump administration had been unusually undiplomatic in its initial approach, pursuing a resolution that even allies could not support.
A UN security diplomat said the new language was aimed at placating European allies and isolating China and Russia in their opposition. But the diplomat added that the US still did not believe the new resolution would secure the necessary votes to pass, and it was unclear whether the new approach would conciliate Washington’s allies.
The Trump administration has repeatedly threatened to trigger the so-called snapback provisions of the 2015 nuclear deal if it cannot secure an arms embargo extension.
US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew his country from the international agreement on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in violation of Washington's commitments under the JCPOA, and announced the return of nuclear sanctions
Trump's move has drawn widespread domestic and international condemnation.
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