The Irish Times - Tuesday, February 9, 2010

US and France agree to impose fresh sanctions on Iran

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PARIS – The United States and France said yesterday it was time to impose new sanctions on Iran after Tehran announced it was planning a major expansion of its nuclear programme.

Iran said it would soon start producing higher-grade nuclear fuel and add 10 uranium enrichment plants over the next year, raising the stakes in its long-running stand-off with western powers over its atomic plans.

French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner told reporters he did not believe Iran had the ability to raise the enrichment level of its uranium.

“Therefore, this is real blackmail,” he said. “The only thing that we can do, alas, is apply sanctions given that negotiations are not possible.” Speaking at a separate event in Paris, US defence secretary Robert Gates also said more pressure had to be applied.

“We must still try and find a peaceful way to resolve this issue. The only path that is left to us at this point, it seems to me, is that pressure track but it will require all of the international community to work together.”

Mr Gates said the international community had “offered Iran multiple opportunities to provide reassurance about its intentions with respect to its nuclear programme”.

Western governments are convinced Iran is trying to gain nuclear weapons capacity. Tehran says its atomic programme is peaceful and aimed at producing energy.

Asked about the possibility of an Israeli strike on Iran over its nuclear programme, Mr Gates said: “Everybody’s interest is in seeing this issue resolved without a resort to conflict.” – (Reuters)