France leads drive to sanction Iran, US silent
You know things are going badly in international affairs when the US is waffling or silent and France has to take the lead. In a meeting of the UN Security Council on Thursday, France adopted a harsh stance, calling on the Council to take immediate action on sanctions against Iran.
"There is no longer any reason to wait," France's permanent UN representative, Gérard Araud, told the Council.
"The clock is ticking," Araud told reporters after the Council meeting. "Iran has never entered into a negotiation," he said. "If Iran does not do it in the short term, France will propose a new resolution on sanctions."
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US Ambassador Susan Rice said there was "unity and resolve" in the P5+1 group, which includes China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the US. Rice said the US had "grave concerns about the breadth and frequency of Iran's violations" and was not shy about the possibility of "further actions, further pressure and further sanctions."
Though the US is committed to a dual-track policy of engagement and pressure, Rice said "time is short," and "the choice is now Iran's." Absent forthcoming negotiations, she said, "The emphasis will increase substantially in that dual-track program to pressure."
Israel Matzav: France leads drive to sanction Iran, US silent
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