MOSCOW — French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for "increasing sanctions" against Iran, saying previous action had forced Tehran to be more open about its nuclear program.
Sarkozy’s comments were made in an interview with the official Russian daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta, ahead of his trip to Moscow Tuesday and Wednesday. Unlike France, Russia is reluctant to impose new UN sanctions against Iran over its uranium enrichment activities.
"Between resignation and war, two words that do not belong in my dictionary, there is a responsible attitude – increasing sanctions to bring Iran to reason, but also the opening of dialogue if Iran chooses to respect its obligations," Sarkozy said in the interview to appear Tuesday.
"Sanctions have yielded the first results in pushing the Iranians into greater transparency. That is the proof that they make the regime think," he said according to quotes in French provided by the Russian journal.
He added: "I will not compromise on such a serious subject."
Sarkozy is due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin during his two-day trip, and Iran is likely to be a major topic of discussion.
Western powers have accused the Islamic state of seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the charges, declaring its nuclear activities are aimed at producing energy.
Elsewhere in the interview, Sarkozy stressed the importance of close ties between Russia and the rest of Europe.
"The world has much to gain from deeper-and-more-systematic ties between Europe and Russia, notably in the areas of defense and security," he said.
The French president said Russia’s newfound power "should be welcomed" because it meant the country could take on responsibilities that came with it.
"I am, thus, waiting for a significant-and-positive contribution from Russia in dealing with the challenges of our time," he told the paper.
