Renewed Push for Iran Sanctions Targets China, Turkey

Chinese Officials Agree to Talks, Reject Sanctions

by Jason Ditz, March 24, 2010

The US and Western allies appear to be renewing their push for “crippling” sanctions against Iran, though they have already conceded that such moves are unlikely in the next several months and opposition seems to remain in place.

Officials in Turkey once again reiterated their opposition to sanctions against Iran, despite threats from the US State Department that they could face “consequences” for refusing to back the US measure in the UN Security Council.

China, on the other hand, agreed to join in the “substantive talks” on additional sanctions against Iran, though the Chinese ambassador insisted that the nation remains an advocate of diplomacy.

Russia, which has played a role in building some of Iran’s civilian nuclear infrastructure, has said they would support limited sanctions, but that they remain opposed to the punitive sanctions proposed by the US.

The US continues to insist that the sanctions are need to stop an Iranian nuclear weapon program, despite their own National Intelligence Estimate noting that no such program exists and officials have provided no evidence to the contrary.

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