Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 06/2010

Analyzing the New UN Sanctions Proposal on Iran

Patrick Clawson, Michael Singh, Jeffrey White

May 2010

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Abstract

The May 18 draft resolution proposing additional sanctions to curb Iran's nuclear program is backed by all five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Although this unanimity is the proposal's principal strength, it comes at the cost of making the draft weaker in some sections than ideas discussed previously by the Obama administration. The following is an analysis of some of the resolution's key elements.