France urges tougher sanctions on Iran

Despite Iran’s voluntary efforts to shed light on the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, the French president has urged world powers to toughen sanctions against Tehran.

“Sanctions are beginning to produce their effects. We must reinforce the sanctions,” Nicolas Sarkozy said during a news conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Monday.

Iran has long described such sanctions as illegal under international law, saying that such measures will not prevent Tehran from pursuing peaceful nuclear technology.

The remarks came after representatives from Iran and the P5+1 — Britain, China, France, Russia and the US plus Germany — wrapped up a new round of comprehensive talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul over the weekend.

Following the talks, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili, who headed the Iranian delegation, said Tehran was “still prepared for further negotiations with the P5+1, based on common issues.”

Washington and its allies accuse the Islamic Republic of developing a military nuclear program. Tehran has repeatedly refuted the charges.

Under Western pressure, the UN Security Council imposed a fourth round of sanctions against Iran’s financial and military sectors in June.

Tehran argues that as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the country has the right to use peaceful nuclear energy.

Earlier in January, Iran invited international diplomats to visit the country’s nuclear sites as a goodwill gesture aimed at highlighting the “transparency” of its nuclear program.

Last week, representatives from the IAEA, the Non-aligned Movement, Group of 77 and the Arab League made a two-day tour of the country’s nuclear facilities.

The delegates, who represented more than 120 countries, visited the heavy water reactor in the central Iranian city of Arak and toured Iran’s Natanz enrichment facility.

Iran’s Ambassador to the IAEA Ali Asghar Soltanieh said that the envoys published a report on their visit on Friday, adding that the content of the report was positive.

“In this report, in addition to an elaborate description of the visit and the explanations offered [by Iranian experts], the envoys’ observations and excerpts from the points offered by Secretary of National Security Council Saeed Jalili and caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi have been included,” he said.

Soltanieh stated that the report serves as a clear message to the world, confirming the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activity.