Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

The UN Security Council on Thursday imposed sanctions on two Iranian firms that violated a U.N. arms embargo on Tehran by supplying weapons to the Syrian government, Reuters reported.

Cargo airline Yas Air and SAD Import Export Company were added to a growing Iran sanctions list for breaching an arms embargo ordered against Iran for its nuclear program.

A U.N. panel of experts that monitors compliance with the Iran sanctions regime had recommended earlier this year that the sanctions committee add the airline and the company as well as one other firm to the U.N. blacklist.

The UN Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions on Iran for refusing to halt its nuclear enrichment program, which the United States, European Union and their allies suspect is aimed at developing nuclear weapons. Iran rejects the allegation and refuses to halt what it says is a peaceful energy program.

U.S. Ambassador to UN Susan Rice welcomed the sanctions against the two Iranian companies, saying they were "significantly involved in Iranian arms smuggling, including smuggling to Syria."

"These companies were responsible for shipping ammunition, assault rifles, machine guns, mortar shells and other arms from Iran to Syria," she said in a statement.

Rice also said that the UN SC committee's decision underscores the growing international concern over Iran's use of the transportation and shipping sectors as a means to export arms and conduct other illicit activities in violation of U.N. sanctions.

On the other hand, some experts and former officials urge US President Barack Obama to change the tactics on Iran.

A group of 24 experts and former officials have warned against tougher sanctions against Iran, Press TV reported on Thursday.

"There should be an appropriate and proportional paring back of international sanctions on Iran," the signatories, mainly researchers and former ambassadors of European countries to Tehran, wrote in a letter dated December 6, but published on Thursday.

The letter made mention of "ordinary Iranians suffering from the effects of the sanctions" and reminded the U.S. president of his pledges to "resolve the Iranian nuclear issue diplomatically." "Time is of the essence, and we hope you will utilize the weeks and months ahead to pursue a robust diplomatic initiative," it said.

"We encourage you to direct your team vigorously to pursue serious, sustained negotiations with the Iranian government...With greater determination, creativity, and persistence, we believe that such a deal is within reach," the letter said.

It also warned Obama against envisaging a military option against Iran over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, saying it "would be counterproductive and costly."

Meanwhile, Iran continues nuclear talks with the U.N. nuclear agency IAEA and the P5+1 group of world powers.

Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement released on Thursday said that the upcoming Iran-P5+1 talks are planned to take place in January 2013, Iran's IRNA news agency reported.

The ministry spokesman told RIA Novosti on Thursday that currently negotiations are under way with Tehran on a venue and date of the negotiations.

"We hope that this work will be completed in the near future and such a meeting will take place in January of next year," he added.

A day earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast also said no date or venue had been set for the next round of talks between Tehran and the P5+1 group -- including Britain, China, France, Russia, and the US plus Germany.

The Russian ministry also voiced hope that the upcoming nuclear talks would bear constructive results.

Iran and the P5+1 have held several rounds of talks so far with the main focus being Iran's nuclear program.