Former Under Secretary: Stronger sanctions to avoid military conflict with Iran
Washington, 30 July (IranVNC)—Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns today called for stronger sanctions against Iran in order to evade a military confrontation.
By: IranVNC
Published: Wednesday, July 30, 2008
13:00GMT—09:00AM/EST
US – SANCTIONS – MILITARY ATTACK
Washington, 30 July (IranVNC)—Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns today called for stronger sanctions against Iran in order to evade a military confrontation.
“If the world truly wants to avoid a military conflict, and we all should want that, the sanctions need to be stronger,” Burns said in a speech in Washington.
Although he expressed “very little doubt” that Iran is not trying to achieve a nuclear weapons capability, he believes diplomacy must be exhausted and that ultimately should include the United States at the negotiating table.
The key to an effective diplomatic strategy that includes sanctions is the participation of Russia and China, who continue to be major trading partners with Iran, Burns argued. “If the Russians and Chinese and some of other trade partners would get behind those sanctions and push then more vigorously then perhaps the Iranians would listen more attentively than they have to the P5,” he said.
Burns was referring to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, who are currently negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program. The group met most recently in Geneva two weeks ago to offer Iran an updated proposal to break the deadlock in the negotiations. Iran has yet to respond to the proposal despite a two week deadline, which expires this Saturday.
Burns hopes that the current talks will continue after the US presidential elections in November, because “the next administration deserves a chance at diplomacy.”
Source: IranVNC correspondent
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