United Nations Says Iran Blocking Access on Nukes

The United States and other world powers have sought to curb Iran's nuclear program and have imposed three rounds of United Nations sanctions on Tehran for its failure to halt nuclear enrichment.

Last spring, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany, known collectively as the P5+1, offered a package of incentives for Tehran to suspend enrichment. The offer was a "refreshed" version of an offer made initially in June 2006.

After Tehran failed to respond positively to the recent offer, the United States resumed implementing the sanctions.

Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department slapped sanctions on Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, Iran's main shipping company, and accused it of facilitating transport for Iran's ministry of defense and for providing logistical support for Iran's armed forces.

Several of the company's subsidiaries were already under U.N. sanctions. The parent company was accused of evading detection of its actions by falsifying documents and using generic terms on manifests to obfuscate the identity of its cargo.

The Treasury Department specifically cited certain chemicals that were transported for eventual use in Iran's missile program.

The British Foreign Office said today it would "push hard for UN sanctions in the coming weeks" in response to the IAEA report.

The United States has supported the push for more sanctions, but has faced strong opposition from Russia and China, which hold veto power on the Security Council.