Germany warns Iran of more serious sanctions

Germany warns Iran that Western powers will take “more serious steps” to impose energy and financial sanctions on the country if its nuclear talks are not resumed.

“If there is no positive answer by September we will have to consider further measures,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a press briefing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Her 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 the country’s nuclear program fail.

Western leaders, including US President Barack Obama, had earlier declared that they would give Iran until September to resume its nuclear talks.

Tehran has repeatedly said it will not give up its nuclear rights under Western pressure.

Netanyahu also asked for the imposition of “crippling sanctions” on Iran to halt its nuclear activities.

“It is possible to put real pressure, real economic pressure, on this regime if the major powers of the world unite,” AFP quoted Netanyahu as saying.

Israel, the Middle East’s sole nuclear-armed power, and certain Western countries accuse Iran of pursuing a secret nuclear weapons program — a charge Tehran denies.

Netanyahu went on to say that he believed “there is not much time” to stop Iran’s nuclear drive.

He called for setting up a “coalition of the willing” to defuse possible opposition from Russia and China in the quest to impose further sanctions against Tehran.