Iran nuclear swap proposal rejected

The resolution imposing a fourth round of sanctions against Iran was approved with 12 Yes votes, two No votes - coming from Brazil and Turkey - and one abstention, by Lebanon.

This confirmed earlier rumours that the US, Russia and France had set their faces against the Turkish-Brazilian plan for swapping enriched uranium for reactor fuel.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that it had been told about the three-nation response and said that it would be passed on to Tehran.

The three powers said that the swap proposal negotiated by Brazil and Turkey would still leave Iran with enough material to make a nuclear weapon.

US IAEA representative Glyn Davies had outlined the US, French and Russian position in comments to an earlier meeting of the IAEA board.

Mr Davies claimed that Iran seemed "determined to defy and to obfuscate" international attempts to probe its nuclear programme for attempts to make nuclear weapons.

A European Union statement also criticised Iran for stonewalling attempts to investigate its nuclear activities and refusing to heed security council calls for a freeze on enrichment.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the new UN sanctions against Iran the toughest ever.

In the successful resolution sanctions are tougher than previous penalties - but still far short of crippling economic punishments or an oil embargo.

The sanctions would ban Iran from pursuing "any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons."

They would also bar Iranian investment in activities such as uranium mining and prohibit Iran from buying categories of heavy weapons including attack helicopters and missiles.

Annexes to the resolution targeted 40 new Iranian companies and organisations.

The sanctions list also includes 22 companies or organisations involved in nuclear or ballistic missile activities and three entities linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines.

If the resolution is fully implemented, the number of bodies under sanctions would more than double - from the current figure of 35 to 75.