Weapons Inspectors Blocked in Iraq

Iraq prevented U.N. weapons inspectors from visiting three sites in the past week, raising the prospect that the Security Council will impose new sanctions against Baghdad, U.N. officials said. Last June, President Clinton and Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin expressed their “firm intention to impose additional measures” on Iraq if the U.N. inspectors do not certify Iraqi cooperation when they submit a periodic status report to the council this month. The report is due by Oct. 11. A U.N. official said Iraqi authorities prevented inspectors “from even reaching the sites” during inspection tours in the past week.