France will support ‘severe’ Iran sanctions

The French President says his country will push for ‘severe’ economic sanctions against Iran if Tehran refuses to halt its nuclear program through talks.

“France will support severe economic sanctions, commensurate with what is at stake, in the United Nations Security Council and the European Council,” AFP quoted Nicolas Sarkozy as saying at a speech in Paris on Wednesday.

His remarks come as the US, Britain, France and Germany are expected to urge Russia and China, in a meeting on September 2, to consider a fourth round of UN sanctions against Iran if talks on Iran’s nuclear program fail.

Western leaders, including the US President Barack Obama, had earlier declared that they would give Iran’s nuclear talks until September.

On Tuesday, the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the international community could step up sanctions against Iran if the West fails to halt Tehran’s nuclear program through talks.

“If there is no further progress immediately then I believe the world will have to look at stepping up sanctions against Iran as a matter of priority,” Brown said.

Tehran has repeatedly declared that it will not give up its nuclear rights under the West’s pressure.