A growing number of countries join the United States in applying pressure on Tehran to revert its course on developing a nuclear weapon, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday.
"There is growing international consensus on taking steps to pressure Iran's leaders to change course. Europe is in agreement. Russia has moved in this direction," Clinton said in an address to AIPAC, an influential U.S. pro-Israel lobby group.
Earlier in the month, the Iran Six discussed a possible new UN Security Council resolution that imposes further sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program. The six countries, including the United States, France, Britain, Germany, China and Russia, comprise a group of international mediators negotiating with Iran on its nuclear program.
"We are working with our partners in the United Nations on new Security Council sanctions that will show Iran's leaders that there are real consequences for their intransigence ... Our aim is not incremental sanctions but sanctions that will bite," she said.
Western powers suspect Iran's nuclear program is aimed at making weapons, while Tehran claims it is pursuing nuclear technology for its civilian energy needs.
Iran has so far defied international calls to halt uranium enrichment and vowed to pursue its nuclear program despite three sets of UN sanctions imposed on the country.
The U.S. top diplomat reiterated that "a nuclear-armed Iran would...spark an arms race that could destabilize the region."
"We will not compromise our commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring these weapons," she said.
WASHINGTON, March 22 (RIA Novosti)
