Iran, NKorea try to block arms trade treaty

Associated Press – The chair has suspended a U.N. meeting after Iran and North Korea said they would block adoption of a treaty that would regulate the multimillion-dollar international arms trade.

To be approved, the draft treaty needed support from all 193 U.N. member states.

Australian Ambassador Peter Woolcott, the meeting chair, called the suspension after Iran and North Korea raised their nameplates refusing to join consensus following speeches outlining their objections to the treaty.

Supporters of the treaty said that if the treaty was not adopted they would go to the General Assembly and put the draft to a vote where they expect overwhelming approval.