Iran defies West´s threat to impose more sanctions

Source: CCTV.com | 02-26-2007 14:11

Diplomats from Germany and the five permanent UN Security Council members will meet Monday in London. They're trying to find new ways to pressure Iran to suspend parts of its nuclear program.

Restrictions on trade and arms are likely to be considered. Before the meeting, Iran and the US exchanged tough words President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad saying that there's no reverse gear in his country's nuclear energy progress.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says Iran needs a "stop button" instead of a break.

Iranian president Ahmadinejad addressed a group of clerics on Sunday in Tehran. Earlier, he said the country's nuclear energy program was like a train with no brake or reverse gear.

The US stance on the Iranian nuclear issue remains equally tough.

Rice said, "They don't need a reverse gear. They need a stop button. They need to stop enriching and reprocessing and then we can sit down and talk about whatever is on Iran's mind. But the international community has been steadfast. We have a Chapter 7 resolution that demonstrates that Iran is isolating itself. It's time for Iran to take a different course and we hope they will."

In London, possible further sanctions on Iran will be discussed after Iran ignored last week's UN deadline to halt uranium enrichment. Tehran says it wants a deal, but rules out the West's key demand that it suspend atomic work on what it says is a nuclear energy program.

The US says it wants a diplomatic solution, but has not ruled out violence.

To step up pressure on Tehran, Washington imposed sanctions on two large Iranian banks and three firms, and sent a second aircraft carrier in the Gulf.

In respond, Iranian military commanders have said the country's recent war games show Iran's readiness to counter any attack.

But Iran has also brushed off the US military threat, saying Washington was not in a position to attack Iran because it is still bogged down in the Iraq War.

Editor:Du Xiaodan