West Tries a New Tack to Block Iran’s Nuclear Agenda - New York Times

[applegrove]

West Tries a New Tack to Block Iran’s Nuclear Agenda
By HELENE COOPER and STEVEN R. WEISMAN
Published: January 2, 2007
New York Times
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1 — The United States and its allies in Europe, in a tacit acknowledgment that sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council in late December are too weak to force Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, have embarked on a new strategy to increase the financial and psychological pressure.

The plan is to use the language of the resolution to help persuade foreign governments and financial institutions to cut ties with Iranian businesses, individuals in its nuclear and missile programs and, by extension, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, said Stuart Levey, under secretary of the treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence.

The Guard and its military wing are identified as a power base for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Under his administration, American officials said, the Guard has moved increasingly into commercial operations, earning profits and extending its influence in Iran in areas involving big government contracts — including building airports and other infrastructure, oil production and the providing of cellphones.

.........SNIP"

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/02/world/middleeast/02sanctions.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

[dipsydoodle]

1. Russia made it clear

that the sanctions were applicable only to nuclear related item and excluded everything else. If the west tries this stunt only Russia will benefit and I'm guessing they'll also veto any future sanction proposals.