A post by Maynard
This Economist article clarifies what’s being sanctioned.
This further round of sanctions is unlikely to stop Iran if it is set on making a bomb. The sanctions add a list of heavy weapons that may not be sold to Iran, and forbid Iran to develop ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. They lengthen slightly a list of Iranian officials and institutions on which various travel and financial restrictions are imposed. Perhaps most prominently, the resolution calls on countries to board ships bound for Iran and inspect their cargo, to enforce the resolution (if the country flagging the ships agrees, which is a big if).
What the resolution does not do is take a bite out of Iran’s main economic activity, the sale of its oil and gas. China made sure of that. As symbolic a blow as the vote is to Iran, these are not the “crippling” sanctions that the most fretful Iran-watchers have called for.
I guess a symbolic blow is nice. There’s a possibility that Iran will be angered enough by the perceived insult to do something really stupid. But in the meantime, the world slides toward nuclear war mainly because too many players would rather quibble over details of self-interest and vanity.
Interesting isn’t it, can board ships to inspect cargo….hmmm. As long as it protects the rest of us, but not if Israel needs to secure herself from Hamas?