Clinton warns Iran against continued nuclear defiance
U.S. Secretary of State threatens Islamic Republic with greater economic pressure, international isolation.
By Reuters and Natasha Mozgovaya Tags: Iran Hillary Clinton Israel newsIran risks more international isolation and economic pressure if it continues to defy the world community over its nuclear ambitions, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday.
Clinton told an audience at the Brookings Institution that talks next month between Iran and major powers concerned over its nuclear strategy represented a choice for Tehran and that there would be consequences for choices made.
"Iran has refused for years to address the international community?s great concerns about its nuclear program," she said. "There will be accompanying costs for Iran's continued defiance: more isolation and economic pressure, less possibility of progress for the people of Iran.
"We have made clear our desire to resolve issues with Iran diplomatically. Iran must now decide whether to join us in this effort."
Iran has repeatedly said it will not agree to use the Oct. 1 meeting with major powers to negotiate away its right to a nuclear program, which it says is for producing nuclear energy.
Israel, the United States and other Western countries are concerned the nuclear enrichment program is aimed at producing a weapon and Clinton said again that next month's talks must address the issue head-on.
The international group, known as the P-5 plus 1, is made up of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - as well as Germany.
Clinton said it was time for Iran to demonstrate that it is serious about allaying international concern.
"Our concern is not Iran's right to develop peaceful nuclear energy but its responsibility to demonstrate that its program is intended exclusively for peaceful purposes," the secretary of state said.
"This is not hard to do. Iran's continued refusal to cooperate has damaged the credibility of its claim that it does not seek a nuclear weapon."
She added that she did not want to prejudge the potential outcome of the discussions, but repeated that Washington was "not in this just for the sake of talking".
"We are to move forward, see what if any changes in approach, attitude, actions the Iranians are willing to entertain," she said.
|
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington on Friday. |
| Photo by: (Reuters) |
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
Homilies do not work with fanatics devoid of rationality. Islamist-Jihadist fanatics know how to fly planes and kill themselves in their Jihad of destroying and killing others all because they have been brainwashed to think that their vaporized bodies will be enjoying sex with 72 virgins. Their religious teachers have turned into sex maniac zombies. If educated people can be fooled by this crap so can the rest of the fanatical zombies. Resorting to simplistic solutions in dealing with complex problems will not solve anything. Homilies will not deter the nuke menace from the fanatical Ayatollahs.
The US is a signature to the NPT and breaks these rules while supporting Israels nuke stock pile by some machevelian amnesia....If any country in the ME needs nukes Iran would be #1. Last I checked the 2 countries on their boarders were invaded and occupied by US troops! Add to that Israels obtuse threats and past US support to Sadam and CIA coups that reinstalled the shah why wouldn't the Iranian leadership want the ultimate defensive deterent...Israel and the US are a major factor in the nuclear arms race in the first place after all the US is the only country to use nukes on a civilian population not once but twice! Don't ask don't tell nuclear strategem for Israel is insane! WE ALL KNOW!.....
Threatening to punish Iran with a 'time out' for not cooperating reminds me of preschool. We've definitely had 'big kid's' conflicts with Iran - I think we need to promise meatier repercussions if we want to motivate them not to go for the power of having nuclear arms.
Grow a spine and expose Israel for what it is and what it is not! Why all the focus on Iran and their program when Israel had a nuclear program for years and they keep hiding it! Why is it that Israel can refuse to talk about their program while other countries must disclose theirs?
seriously if you warn a 8 yr old for 6 yrs to not carry out a specific act and all you do is say don't do it do u really think he is gonna give a damn about what you say now when he turned 14???!!! Iran has passed the stage of threats and and, this has become nothing more then a policy adopted by the U.S to try and force Iran into some concessions whom which have nothing to do with its nuclear program. Israel will one day have to accept the reality of a nuclear Iran, i don't think anyone is capable or willing to chance anything in order to try and stop it
I don't ever call out posters but, #1 Obama is Pres but he really doesn't run the country unlike Iran.#2 the IAEA is el-baredei's home google the man's name and you will see what he has done to masimize the problem instead of minimizing it. but of course you may find an excuse for it, after all it won't help your cause or your ideology, sorry. #2 Silly billy, You playing cowboys & indians thats sad, you spew all derogatory terms (that I get censored here all the time)read history don't look at human mistakes or stupidity people are human not politicians but stay with your ali believes they all go to hell in the end. #4 Markie Do u sleep with a suicide belt? go to Islamaland and enjoy it over there, Oh they may not let you have an opinion there, so stay where you're at that way I can read the funnys before sunday...#6 LOUIE LOUIE LOUIE are you joking or just stupid and blind or a plain old racist? b asuured you are 1 of my fav., funny people; good 4 u.# 7 Thanks a little bit of perspecpectve on your part very toughful, wish these people here would speak with some intelligence without trying to sound like lopsided proffesors #8 Damians Satan, You put up a great example of an oxymoron just read your crap....then read history not aljazebra propaganda(yes zebras try to confuse the hunters with their stripes as run together as a herd buddled together to confuse the hunter). Are u confused or trying to confuse?
Iran isn't defying the world; it's only defying Israel and the US and their Western allies. The actual peoples of the world haven't seen any evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program despite the rhetoric and propaganda, so how can they be 'defying the world community'?
Hamas was getting warnings about their rocketry program regularly for years. Hamas openly defied. The rockets were whooshing. I was beginning to wonder if it was ever going to happen. But finally, it did. Now were are about to see whether Hamas won or lost. They won if The Hague hangs Livni and Olmert. If not, Israel and civilization won. The warnings about Iran's nuke program are sounding pretty much the same. Same defiance. getting more interesting every day. The centrifuges are humming. Popcorn?
As long as the Persians operate within the confines of the NPT it is perfectly legal. Countries cannot rant and rave and threaten because of 'possibilities', 'potentialities'... and further absurdities. If Israel would come clean I'm sure Iran would show its program in sufficient detail. How about it Israel? Do you have the honesty? You can't rule the ME by Divine Decree. Salaam/Shalom
Under the NPT they have a right to build a civil nuclear plant, and the inspectors are still there. Or is it simply that a nation that isn't a ally of the US isn't allowing to progress economically?
Wow thier are some genuine honest brokers.How many moslems at the brookings institute?zero.Lets be real,america is controld by the zionist who wiped our tribes off the face of the earth,why?because we dont know thier GOD.How many Native american are at the old boys club,the brooking institute.Clinton stole more tax dollars then billy the kid stole from banks.I wouldnt trust those zionist lunatics as far as i could throw them.They have a warped sence of religous privledge that is down right scarry.
Authorities from the IAEA have just stated that they found no evidence that Iran was building a a nuclear weapon or developing rhe means to deliver one. Nonetheless, the US government shuts their ears. Such a statement lacks the proper political perspective.
Both Hillary AND Obama are PATHETIC. Totally pathetic. Iran might listen if the barrel of a gun was pointed at its head, but "sanctions??" Ridiculous. A NAVAL BLOCKADE might have an effect, but that would be an act of war, right? Truth is, the White House is occupied by someone who should have had a career in Motivational Speaking--Obama is WAYYYY over his head in the role of President, a weakling without any fixed foreign policy and a meandering national one with goalposts that constantly shift. Who is he? No one knows...Meanwhile, N. Korea and Iran are laughing all the way to the NUKES. Where the heck is John Bolton when we need him desperately???