New York - The UN Security Council imposed a fourth round of sanctions on a defiant Iran on Wednesday over a nuclear program the West suspects is aimed at developing the means to build atom bombs.

The 15-nation council passed a resolution that was the product of five months of talks between the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia. With 12 votes in favor, it received the least support of the four Iran sanctions resolutions adopted since 2006.

Turkey and Brazil opposed the new sanctions, while Lebanon abstained.

Li Baodong, the Chinese permanent representative to the UN, said the new sanctions are "aimed at bringing Iran back to the negotiation table and activating new round of diplomatic efforts."

"China calls on all members of the international community to implement the resolution comprehensively and in good faith," he told Xinhua News Agency.

Iran denies Western allegations that it is seeking nuclear weapons, insisting that its uranium enrichment program is for peaceful energy purposes.

One day before the vote, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the sanctions the "toughest ever".

But analysts debate whether the sanctions are "toothless" or the "toughest ever".

"The sanctions are more for diplomatic pressure than practical use," said Hua Liming, a former Chinese ambassador to Iran.

The final version deleted a clause banning Iranian oil exports and imports, and reduced a complete arms embargo to banning eight sorts of weapons exports.

Hua said China's support of the resolution does not signal a change in China's stance on the Iranian nuclear issue: promoting non-proliferation while supporting Teheran's right to use nuclear power peacefully.

Hua said the sanctions would not harm ties between the nations. "Iran, which is isolated, needs China's support," he said.

But Shi Yinhong, an expert on American studies at Beijing-based Renmin University, said the sanctions have teeth and make it harder to go back to the previous "mild" resolutions.

Ma Liyao and Zhang Haizhou contributed to the story from Beijing.

Reuters

(China Daily 06/10/2010 page12)