WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 A new round of sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program is being discussed, a U.S. State Department spokesman said Wednesday.
"It's no secret that we would have wished these discussions had reached the point where we actually could have a resolution there on the table and have a vote," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said during a news briefing, "but things don't always work on our timetable."
The U.N.'s five permanent members -- the United States, Russia, France, China and England, all nuclear powers -- and Germany have tried to use sanctions or the threat of sanctions as an effort to get Iran to back off its nuclear work. Germany recently expressed hesitancy and the possibility of pulling out of supporting sanctions altogether.
McCormick said the reports may be erroneous.
"Germany once again reiterated the fact that it is fully supportive of a new resolution," he said.
Best estimates put Iran approximately one year from having enough nuclear materials to build nuclear bombs, so we do still have time for diplomatic measures to be effective, but not if Russia or China, or Germany try to water them down.
They must have teeth in order to work.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says the United States remains eager to boost international pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear activities. He says Washington would have preferred to have a U.N. resolution drafted and voted on by now, but the United States is confident that a resolution will be forthcoming.
"We are still committed to a diplomatic solution that has many fronts," said Sean McCormack. "One of those fronts is working with the U.N., working through the Security Council and coming up with a new sanctions resolution."
McCormack expressed hope that progress on crafting a resolution will be made during next week's meeting of the five permanent Security Council members plus Germany that has been focusing on the Iranian nuclear stand-off. The U.S. says it will host a meeting of the P Five Plus One members on September 21 in Washington. (Source)
I guess time will tell whether Germany will back newer stronger sanctions despite the economic pressure it would cause Germany.
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