U.S. Senate Reaffirms Efforts To Stop Iran Developing Nuclear Arms

A bank of centrifuges are seen in what is described by Iranian state television as a facility in Natanz for uranium enrichment.

The U.S. Senate has overwhelmingly approved a resolution that reaffirms U.S. efforts to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and says containment of a nuclear-capable Iran is not an option.

By a vote of 90-1, the Senate backed the nonbinding measure.

The measure was introduced months ago by Republican Senators Lindsey Graham (Republican-South Carolina), Bob Casey (Democrat-Pennsylvania), and Joe Lieberman (Independent-Connecticut).

It endorses continued economic and diplomatic pressure on Tehran until it agrees to suspension of its uranium-enrichment program in compliance with UN Security Council resolutions, cooperates with international inspectors and reaches a permanent agreement that its program is for peaceful purposes.

Senator Rand Paul (Republican-Kentucky), who cast the only "no" vote, had spoken out against the resolution as an excuse for the use of military force.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters