Nuclear: Iran increases the pressure

France and the USA: towards “severe penalties”

WASHINGTON – Iran faces “severe sanctions” imposed by the US and other Western powers on its nuclear program. This was stated by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

In a congressional hearing, Gates explained that the sanctions will be decided, partly by the UN security council, partly by the United States with other allied nations. The words of Gates follow those of Barack Obama, who in recent months has threatened Iranian leaders with “serious consequences” if they had not stopped the nuclear arms race.

The White House has called the launch of the Kavoshgar-3 space rocket by Iran a “provocative act” today. “A launch like today is obviously a provocative act,” said one of the spokesmen of the American presidency, Bill Vurton, at the daily press point.

Iran announced today that it had sent live animals to the space for the 31st anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution for the first time.

The TV showed images of the inside of the capsule, in which a mouse, turtles and worms were located. The TV also showed images of the capsule detachment from the rocket. Iranian officials did not provide details on the Kavoshgar-3 rocket, but according to the images shown it is a small-sized carrier launched from a self-tracking platform.

Even France, in the words of its prime minister Francois Fillon, intervenes on the issue of Iran’s nuclear program. “France believes Iran’s time is running out and the time has come to impose” strong sanctions “on Tehran on the nuclear issue.”

“The Iranian regime – said Fillon – did not collect our offers of dialogue, now it is time to react”. The minister explained that the international community “will try in the UN to approve a new resolution that includes strong sanctions. In this sense the EU will also assume its responsibilities”. However, Fillon reiterated that there is still room for dialogue in Tehran.

“It is not too late – he said – to use the path of politics to prevent Iran from developing its nuclear power. But the time at its disposal is running out”

(03 February 2010)