Russia and China block tough Iran sanctions: U.S.

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

VIENNA (Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday Russia and China had been blocking tough U.N. sanctions against Iran for months and pledged a drive to impose them if Iran did not halt nuclear activity within two weeks.

Iran's president said he was "not worried at all" about broader economic sanctions, dismissing them as ineffective.

Nicholas Burns, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, said China and Russia had been stalling a new United Nations Security Council resolution since late March.


The five permanent powers on the U.N. Security Council plus Germany will meet in London on Friday to weigh broader sanctions. Increased saber-rattling between Iran and Washington is stirring fears of war if diplomatic pressure fails.



Read more: http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2007-11-01T124227Z_01_L30131658_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAN-NUCLEAR.xml

---

US' Burns: Iran Faces Increased Isolation, More Sanctions

VIENNA (AP)--Iran faces increased isolation and heightened sanctions if it continues to defy the international community, a senior U.S. official warned Thursday, saying he hoped Iran would choose to negotiate.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said Washington wanted a third U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution passed as soon as possible.

He urged Iran's major trading partners to cut back business with Tehran, and said U.S. wanted the European Union to push forward with further sanctions.

"Our view is that all of that should happen as soon as possible so that Iran gets the message that as long as it's defying the Security Council, which it currently is, and not cooperating fully with the IAEA...then there's going to be a price to what Iran does," he said. "And that price will be increased isolation and heightened sanctions."

more:http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20071101%5cACQDJON200711010859DOWJONESDJONLINE000650.htm&

[Demeter]

1. And They Have a Perfect Right to Do So

Not only that, but they are on the side of the angels, here. Georgie's having another temper tantrum, is all.

[BridgeTheGap]

2. So goes the "diplomacy" of the bush misadministration

These idiots exist only in the bubble of their own creation.

[Supersedeas]

3. Fears of war -- Cheney and Booosh must be salivating