Middle East News
US to press for tighter curbs on Iranian banks (Extra)
Jun 9, 2008, 17:18 GMT
Brdo, Slovenia - The United States wants the European Union to redouble efforts to punish Iran financially for its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, a US diplomat said Monday before an EU-US summit in Slovenia.
'There is still Iranian bank activity that could be curbed, that could be further constrained,' said C Boyden Gray, the US envoy to the EU.
At issue is applying UN financial sanctions - most recently tightened by the Security Council in March - as quickly and efficiently as possible, he told reporters.
US officials said Iran was high on the agenda for US President George W Bush's meeting with EU leaders Tuesday at Brdo Castle, a secluded retreat in Slovenia.
'We would like to hear that there will be continued, further progress on Iran,' Gray said when asked about US goals for the one-day summit. 'I think that's probably the most important item.'
The problem is not that European governments have been slow to apply, but that 'the machinery' for taking action against Iranian banks is bureaucratic and requires a series of steps, he said.
The Security Council has slapped a series of sanctions on Iran for ignoring international calls to stop uranium enrichment, which can be a step toward making nuclear weapons.
Western nations, led by the United States, believe Iran is seeking a nuclear bomb. Iran says its nuclear programme is only aimed at making fuel for civilian power plants.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana plans to visit Tehran on Saturday.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
Hey Marge, you are nutty white trash.
Simple question Marge:
Do you think the world will become more or less safe if more dictatorships with ties to non-state terror groups get nuclear weapons?
More safe?
Or less safe?
page: 1
margeJun 9th, 2008 - 22:20:56
Rather than to pressure Iran to stop its enrichment of uranium nuclear energy program, the US should destroy its own stockpile of nukes and pressure Israel to do the same. It is sheer hypocrisy and double standards for the US to fight for its ally Israel to be the only country in the Middle East with nuclear bombs. The US is determined that Israel, with its 5 or 6 million Jews, remain the superpower of the Middle East and in control of the Iranian and arab population which numbers about a billion people.
Iranian and arab leaders are unfit to continue in their leadership positions unless they get nuclear bombs to counterbalance those of Israel. There can be no permanant peace in the region until Iran and arab countries have a military capacity equal to that of Israel, which will cause countries to use caution before violating each others sovereignty and starting wars. Toward this end, Iran should pull out of the NPT and stop cooperating with the IAEA and UN, and answer no questions about its intent for a nuclear program other than to deny and keep on denying. This is Israel's policy and Iran should take note!!!!!
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