Iran will face U.N. Security Council sanctions for refusing to halt its nuclear program, France's foreign minister said Wednesday, but major powers are still divided on exactly how far punishment should go. «The question is about the scope of sanctions but there will be sanctions,» Philippe Douste-Blazy said on RTL radio. The measures would fall under Article 41 of Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, Douste-Blazy added. The article authorizes the Security Council to impose nonmilitary sanctions such as completely or partially severing diplomatic and economic relations, transportation and communications links. A day earlier, at closed-door talks in Paris, France and five other major powers failed to reach an accord on a U.N. resolution to punish Iran, although the French Foreign Ministry said there was «substantive progress» and that «we are now close to a conclusion of this process.» A senior European diplomat said the five permanent Security Council members, which include France, plus Germany remained split over key questions of visa bans and asset freezes for Iranians linked to nuclear development, the Associated Press reported.
