WASHINGTON – The credibility of the international community is at stake in the push to impose tougher sanctions on Iran over its suspect nuclear program, a US State Department spokesman warned on Tuesday.
“This is the time to act,” Philip Crowley said on the margins of a nuclear security summit in Washington, pointing to the “special responsibility” of UN Security Council members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.
“They have to make their own judgment, but we think at this point the credibility of the international community is at stake.”
Washington is leading an effort to toughen UN sanctions within weeks on Iran over what the United States and allies say are efforts to produce nuclear weapons. The Islamic Republic insists its nuclear energy program is for civilian purposes only.
China remains the most reluctant of the group known as the P5+1 — which groups the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany — to slap more sanctions on Iran, one of Beijing’s key trading partners.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met early Tuesday with her Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu and was due to later hold talks with Brazilian diplomatic chief Celso Amorim. Turkey and Brazil, which both currently hold rotating seats at the Security Council, have opposed sanctions.
“The question of sanctions and pressure is a fundamental part of a diplomatic effort,” Crowley said. “What is important here is getting Iran to change its calculation, how it evaluates its long-term interests.”
“The bottom line is: ‘How do we get Iran to change course?’” he asked.
