US, Germany weighing more sanctions on Iran

Jun 7, 2011, 20:23 GMT

Washington - The United States and Germany are considering additional sanctions on Iran over its continued refusal to comply with international demands on its nuclear activities, US President Barack Obama said Tuesday.

Meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House, Obama said the two leaders agreed that more sanctions might be necessary to keep pressure on Iran.

'Iran's continuing nuclear programme and its refusal to engage in any meaningful talks with the international community remain a very serious concern,' Obama said at a press conference with Merkel.

'We agreed that if the International Atomic Energy Agency this week determines again that Iran is continuing to ignore its international obligations, then we will have no choice but to consider additional steps, including potentially additional sanctions, to intensify the pressure on the Iranian regime,' he said.

When Merkel arrived at the White House for the official visit and state dinner, she said the US and Germany were aligned in ensuring Iran does not develop a nuclear weapons capability.

'We are pulling in the same direction trying to keep Iran from following its course of developing a nuclear forces capability,' Merkel said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's board was meeting this week in Vienna in part to discuss Iran's nuclear programme suspected by the West of developing weaponry. Iran insists its programme is purely for civilian energy, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday his country atomic efforts have 'no brakes and no reverse gear.'

IAEA Director Yukiya Amano said Monday that the agency had indications that until recently Iran was using its nuclear programme for military purposes.

'The activities in Iran related to the possible military dimensions seem to have been continuing until quite recently,' Amano said, urging Iran to clarify the nature of the work.

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