US Adamant on Iran Sanctions Despite Swap Declaration

In a meeting with 37 American Jewish Congressmen, US President Barack Obama underscored his support for Israel. One way Obama wants to demonstrate his commitment to the Israeli regime is by insisting on new sanctions against Iran.

The US, supported by its European allies, has prepared a draft resolution in the UN Security Council that calls on Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment activities or face a fourth round of sanctions.

The draft resolution came just two days after Iran issued a joint nuclear declaration with Turkey and Brazil that declared its readiness to engage in a nuclear fuel swap with the West under which Tehran would send some 1,200 kg of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey for a timely exchange with 120 kg of higher enriched uranium that would serve as the fuel required by the Tehran Nuclear Reactor to produce medical isotopes.'

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Clinton: Deal Made on Iran Sanctions

The US claims to have made an agreement with all veto-wielding permanent members of the UN Security Council on a draft sanctions resolution against Iran.

"We have reached agreement on a strong draft with the cooperation of Russia and China," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, referring to talks with permanent members of the UN Security Council Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany.

Russia and China have long resisted the US campaign for sanctions and urged other powers to seek a diplomatic solution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear program. Both countries welcomed the nuclear declaration issued by Iran, Turkey and Brazil.

"We attach importance to and support this agreement," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said on Tuesday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also welcomed the declaration as "the politics of a diplomatic solution."

Moscow has stressed that it would never support sanctions meant to "strangle Iran" or harm the Iranian people.'

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Powel: Sanctions Against Iran Ineffective

Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell says sanctions against Iran will be to no avail as Tehran is “determined to have a nuclear program” not a “nuclear weapon.”

"I don't see a set of sanctions coming along that would be so detrimental to the Iranians that they are going to stop that program,” Powell said in an interview with Bloomberg TV broadcast today.

The retired Army general reiterated that the West's standoff with Iran over its nuclear program should be resolved through diplomatic means and negotiations. “So ultimately, the solution has to be a negotiated one".'

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Anti-Iran Plot Failing, Israeli Envoy Laments

Israel's UN ambassador says the prospects for imposing crippling sanctions on Iran are “grim” because Russia and China insist on diplomacy to solve the dispute over Iran's nuclear program.

"The chances now seem grim regarding sanctions that will be crippling," AFP quoted Gabriela Shalev as saying on Tuesday.

She said Russia and China, which both have a veto at the UN Security Council, "are still looking to the diplomatic track" and appear reluctant to back a new round of tough sanctions on Iran.'

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Hillary to China: Vote for Iran Sanctions, or Face Gulf Conflagration and Oil Cutoff

Amid US Fury, China Stands Up for Iran Diplomacy

As the US insists fresh sanctions against Iran should be implemented over its nuclear program, China says more diplomacy should be exercised over the issue.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters on Friday that Washington would continue to reach out to other sides involved in the issue, including China, to decide on fresh sanctions against Iran.'

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Iran Sanctions are Precursor to War

Last week the House overwhelmingly approved a measure to put a new round of sanctions on Iran. If this measure passes the Senate, the United States could no longer do business with anyone who sold refined petroleum products to Iran or helped them develop their ability to refine their own petroleum. The sad thing is that many of my colleagues voted for this measure because they felt it would deflect a military engagement with Iran. I would put the question to them, how would Congress react if another government threatened our critical trading partners in this way? Would we not view it as asking for war?'

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US House Votes to Impose New Sanctions on Iran

The US House of Representatives has voted to impose new economic sanctions on Iran as part of the efforts to put more pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program.

The legislation, approved 412-12 on Tuesday, would end access to US markets for foreign companies that sell refined petroleum products to Iran or help the Islamic Republic develop its petroleum capacity, AP reported.'

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