The U.N. Security Council unanimously voted to suspend reviews of Iraqi sanctions

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- To rebuke Iraq for suspending cooperation with United Nations' weapons inspectors, the U.N. Security Council voted Wednesday to suspend regular reviews of the sanctions imposed on Iraq.

Without the reviews, which had been conducted every 60 days, there is no mechanism for lifting or easing the sanctions imposed in August 1990 after Iraq invaded Kuwait, touching off the Persian Gulf War.

But the Security Council offered Iraq a way out of the impasse, saying it would conduct a "comprehensive review" of sanctions if Iraq were to reverse its August 5 decision to stop cooperating with U.N. inspectors.

"Far from hastening the day sanctions are lifted, Iraq's failure to honor its obligations will prolong the sanctions, constrain Iraq from acquiring resources to rebuild its military and keep the Iraqi economy under tight international control," said U.S. President Clinton in a written statement.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan

However, Iraq's U.N. ambassador, Nizar Hamdoon, held out little hope for a change in Iraq's position. He told reporters that any comprehensive review should "focus on the real issues of disarmament that ends up with the lifting of sanctions."

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan told reporters that he had informed Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin that "it was essential [Iraq] rescind the decision and come back into compliance."

"Without that ... they would be making it difficult for the council to talk of lifting the sanctions," Annan said.

British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock said the road was now open to Iraq to get rid of sanctions and that the provision for a comprehensive review should make it easier for Iraq to respond positively.

"If [Iraq] doesn't take this opportunity, it really is failing to look at its own interest on how to move forward," Greenstock said.

U.N. inspectors have been trying to determine whether Iraq has complied with international demands that it dismantle its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and its ballistic missile program.

Iraq has insisted that it has complied with U.N. mandates and that the sanctions should be lifted.

Chief U.N. weapons inspector Richard Butler

But Richard Butler, the chief U.N. weapons inspector, has refused to certify that Iraq has complied with the U.N.'s disarmament requirements. Such certification is necessary before sanctions can be lifted.

In August, expressing frustration about Butler's stand, Iraq announced it would no longer cooperate with inspectors, essentially stopping their work. The Security Council condemned that action, but Wednesday's vote was the first substantive punishment imposed on the Iraqi regime.

The vote to suspend regular reviews of sanctions was unanimous, supported by all 15 Security Council members, including China, Russia and France, who have been more sympathetic to Iraq's complaints about the inspection process.

However, at the behest of those three countries, the resolution calls on Annan to give the council his views on how a comprehensive review of Iraqi compliance might be carried out. Annan has previously pressed for an end to the sanctions.

Reuters contributed to this report.