Following a tour of Gulf nations, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that the nations all understand that more sanctions against Iran are “inevitable.”
Gates added that the Saudis and other nations are “on board” for the sanctions, and predicted that they would work because of the broad international consensus against Iran. He insisted that past instances where sanctions didn’t work were the result of “cheaters.”
Not only that, Gates claimed that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had promised to use “economic leverage” against the Chinese government in an effort to bring China on board for the crippling sanctions sought by the US.
China has repeatedly expressed opposition to the sanctions, warning they don’t provide any actual solution to the disagreements. They have sought further diplomatic efforts as an alternative.
