US, Germany urge tougher Iran sanctions

Despite numerous International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports verifying the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program, the US and Germany threaten Iran with tougher sanctions.

In his annual State of the Nation address to the American people on Wednesday, US President Barack Obama announced that Washington would stay tough on Iran’s nuclear program.

“Because of a diplomatic effort to insist that Iran meet its obligations, the Iranian government now faces tougher and tighter sanctions than ever before,” Obama said.

The remarks came less than a week after representatives from Iran and the P5+1 — Britain, China, France, Russia and the US plus Germany — wrapped up their latest round of comprehensive talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Saturday.

On Sunday, one day after the multifaceted talks, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad expressed hope that appropriate results could be achieved in future sessions of negotiations “if the other side is determined and committed to justice, law and respect.”

He then went on to warn P5+1 officials against pursuing the path of Israel and urged them to get rid of pressure by certain “narrow minded” Zionist individuals “if you want talks to bear fruit.”

“In that case, grounds will be prepared for further interaction,” the Iranian chief executive stressed.

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday said she was disappointed with the fruitless talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, and urged further sanctions on Iran.

“It is up to Iran to dispel doubts which remain over its atomic program. Otherwise, things will continue along the sanctions route,” she told a meeting of German diplomats.

The US and its allies, who accuse Iran of developing a military nuclear program, have used this pretext to pressure the UN Security Council to impose a fourth round of sanctions against Iran’s financial and military sectors in June.

Iranian officials have repeatedly denied the charges, arguing that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the IAEA, Tehran has a right to peaceful nuclear technology.

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

Representatives from the IAEA, the Non-Aligned Movement, Group of 77 and the Arab League paid a two-day visit to Iran’s nuclear facilities, including the heavy water reactor in the central Iranian city of Arak and the Natanz enrichment facility.