[A-List] US to Israel: Will Assess Iran Sanctions at Yr-end

["Yoshie Furuhashi" <critical.montages@xxxxxxxxx>]

<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L09270453.htm>
US to Israel: will assess Iran sanctions at yr-end
09 Jun 2007 09:53:13 GMT
Source: Reuters

JERUSALEM, June 9 (Reuters) - The United States told Israel it plans
to tighten economic sanctions on Iran and assess their impact at
year-end, a top Israeli official said on Saturday in comments that
appeared to play down military options for now.

Washington has stepped up commercial pressure on Tehran since the
United Nations in December imposed sanctions over Iran's refusal to
suspend activities the West fears are aimed at making atomic weapons.

Iran says its nuclear programme has purely civilian, not military, aims.

"Sanctions are the best way to act against Iran," Deputy Israeli Prime
Minister Shaul Mofaz told Israel Radio after talks in Washington with
top Bush administration officials.

"Regarding a timeline,... we decided that the end of 2007 will be the
point of assessing the effectiveness of the sanctions and the amount
of influence they are having on the Iranians," Mofaz said.

He did not say what other options, if any, would be considered at that point.

U.S. President George W. Bush has made clear Washington is sticking to
a diplomatic course, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said earlier
this month.

Mofaz said the United States and Israel agreed that additional
sanctions would be imposed on Iran in two stages. The first stage
would be stepped up U.N. Security Council sanctions.

The United States has been urging the five other powers spearheading
efforts to persuade Iran to abandon uranium enrichment -- Germany,
France, Britain, Russia and China -- to get to work on a new U.N.
sanctions resolution.

"If the sharpening of the sanctions is not accepted by the Security
Council, then the United States will lead its own measures, together
with other countries, to place economic and financial sanctions, and
not renew Iranian oil infrastructure," Mofaz said.

The Group of Eight industrialised nations said in a joint statement
this week that it would back "further measures" against Iran if it
does not comply with U.N. demands that it suspend its enrichment
programme.

--
Yoshie