Obama Administration Preparing Iranian Sanctions Outside of UN Security Council, Just In Case
EmailABC News' Jake Tapper and Kirit Radia report:
With Iran seemingly rejecting the end-of-year deadline for making diplomatic progress with the West, and the Chinese government continuing to voice opposition to imposing additional sanctions in the United Nations Security Council against the rogue regime, the Obama administration has been preparing other possible additional ways of sanctioning Iran for its pursuit of nuclear weapons, ABC News has learned.
For months, officials of the Obama administration have been assiduously lobbying the leaders of other nations to join the U.S. on a bilateral or multilateral level in possibly imposing various new sanctions on, say, Iran's financial sector, or its petroleum sector, outside the auspices of the United Nations Security Council.
Officials cautioned that the official decision to pursue sanctions has not yet been made, that sanction efforts outside the UN would be several months away, and that emphasizing them revealed a far more pessimistic view of developments than they currently hold.
Iran may ultimately choose to work with the international community, officials said, and if it does not the Security Council might either decide to pursue new sanctions or toughen up the current sanctions on Iran — which have imposed an arms embargo, banned the travel of Iranian officials working on the nuclear program, and prohibited certain financial transactions.
"There are sanctions that are available, that are on Iran right now," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters today. "We will continue to look at ways both bilaterally and multilaterally that we can… add to that mix and increase the cost to Iran of its inability or unwillingness to resolve the concerns the international community has about its nuclear program."
Additionally, European sources tell ABC News that European nations are beginning to explore sanctions on their own national levels and at the level of the European Union because they recognize that the UN measures will likely not end up being tough enough if and when they finally pass.
President Obama has given Iran until December 31, 2009, to show progress in meeting international requirements that it end its nuclear weapons program.
"By the end of the year we should have some sense whether or not these discussions are starting to yield significant benefits, whether we are starting to see serious movement on the part of Iranians," President Obama said in May.
On Monday, however, China’s envoy to the UN Security Council La Yifan — despite numerous entreaties by the Obama administration to Chinese leaders — indicated his country is not yet on board with new sanctions.
“We ask for more time to be given and efforts to be made to see if we can reach some sort of breakthrough,” La told Bloomberg News Monday. “The door to diplomatic efforts is not completely slammed yet. Efforts should focus on trying to find a solution to the current impasse.”
Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sounded less than conciliatory when he said in a speech in the city of Shiraz today: "They say we have given Iran until the end of the Christian year. I say, who are they to provide us with an opportunity? We have provided them with an opportunity, instead."
Ahmadinejad said international leaders can give Iran "as many deadlines as they want, we don't care." He said Iran wants talks "under just conditions where there is mutual respect."
"We told you that we are not afraid of sanctions against us, and we are not intimidated," he said. "If Iran wanted to make a bomb, we would be brave enough to tell you."
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that "Mr. Ahmadinejad may not recognize, for whatever reason, the deadline that looms, but that is a very real deadline for the international community. The decision for them to live up to their responsibilities is their decision. We have offered them a different path. If they decide not to take it, then the will move accordingly."
And French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told reporters in Paris that Russia is “on board” with more sanctions.
“I think there is no other solution,” Kouchner said.
The administration had hoped for new momentum for its proposed sanctions in September when, at the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh, President Obama, French President Sarkozy, and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown delivered a sharp warning to Iran's government about what President Obama called "disturbing information" — a secret uranium enrichment facility Western intelligence agencies have discovered near Qom, 97 miles southwest of Tehran.
Calling the news "a challenge made to the entire international community," President Sarkozy said that "if by December there is not an in-depth change by the Iranian leaders, sanctions will have to be taken."
Iran accepted, and then walked away, from a proposal from the "P5+1" — the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the U.S., Russia, China, UK, and France — plus Germany — to send 1,200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium to Russia, followed by France, to be processed into material suitable for peaceful uses and not weapons-grade.
Then on November 29 Iranian leaders announced they would build 10 new nuclear plants.
Earlier this month, at a town hall meeting with U.S. troops in Kirkuk, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, "I think you are going to see some significant additional sanctions imposed by the international community."
And at the UN Security Council on December 10, British ambassador to the UN Mark Lyall-Grant said, "patience is running out. If there is no change of approach, then clearly the Security Council will need to look again at further sanctions against Iran in the new year."
French ambassador to the UN Gerard Araud added "there is no longer any reason to wait."
But the Chinese are pointing to remarks last week by Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki who suggested Iran might be willing to send 400 kilograms outside of the country for processing, with the rest to be shipped over “several years.”
“We said we are in agreement on the principles of the proposal, but suddenly the Western media announced that 1,200 kilograms of uranium would be leaving Iran to delay the construction of a nuclear bomb,” Mottaki said. “Is this the answer to Iran’s confidence-building?”
Said Chinese ambassador La: “We note the recent remarks by Iranian authorities of a kind of continued willingness to have an exchange. With regard to the venue and also the modalities of such exchanges, those are the issues that a solution should be found through continued discussion.”
– Jake Tapper and Kirit Radia
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Why can’t Western countries agree to exchange the uranium at Kish Island as proposed by Iran? Are we really trying to solve the issue at hand or looking for any excuse to start bombing or nuking Iran at the behest of the Zionist and criminal regime in Israel?
Posted by: Tell it how it is | December 22, 2009, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
I hope any sanctions do not make it harder for the Green Revolution to take over power in Iran.
Posted by: Santa | December 22, 2009, 5:39 pm 5:39 pm
We’re going to open a third front now? Better enjoy it while you got it, Obama because I’m voting for the other guy the first chance I get.
Posted by: jan | December 22, 2009, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm
But the world was supposed to love us now.
Iran thumbs it’s nose at Obama–many times.
Cuban leaders call Obama a liar and arrogant after his Copenhagen flop.
Chavez says Obama smells like sulfur, comparing him to Bush.
What happened? Where is the love?
Posted by: larry | December 22, 2009, 6:31 pm 6:31 pm
But the world was supposed to love us now.
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You’ve got to be kidding. The right wing pinned this on the President same as they pinned ‘the Messiah’ on him.
It’s a sleazy attempt by the Republican right to set Obama up with the ‘savior’ label, so anything short of perfection is supposed to be failure.
You may be able to fool some people with this trash, but most Americans are smart enough to see through it.
Until the Republican right grows up and adopts some less sleazy tactics, they are doomed to fall further and further outside of the mainstream of America.
Posted by: tierra | December 22, 2009, 6:45 pm 6:45 pm
The Obama fraud continues. He has no idea what to do.
The constant lying.
The childish whining.
The disgraceful bowing.
The staggering arrogance.
The poisonous radicalism.
The dangerous narcissism.
The astounding incompetence.
Obama is a socialist/Marxist/communist mess. He wants to put as much of the private economy under government control as possible to create his nanny state utopia where he is the boy king.
Let’s continue to stand strong against Obama in every way and get Congress out of the hands of the insane Pelosi and Reid in 2010.
Obama is a smug, smirking con man. Nothing more.
Posted by: Jackie | December 22, 2009, 8:24 pm 8:24 pm
Obama is a smug, smirking con man. Nothing more. Posted by: Jackie | Dec 22, 2009 8:24:56 PM
This line, along with the description of the authors (the constant lying; the childish whining) is repeated in mass ad nauseum on countless blogs, and has nothing to do with President Obama but everything to do with the club the authors belong identify with.
Posted by: progressive mama | December 22, 2009, 8:40 pm 8:40 pm
“This line… has nothing to do with President Obama.”
Keep telling yourself that. The Emperor has no clothes.
Posted by: The Audacity of Copenhagen | December 22, 2009, 8:54 pm 8:54 pm
Hey, “Tell it like it is”, how long has the international community waited for the Iranians to come to a reasonable agreement with the 5 + 1 countries? Kish Island is solely dictated on their terms, and another delay tactic. So far its been 5-6 years of those delay tactics. Whats next, a nuclear armed Iran with an extremist President? No one wants that. As for Israel, you dont see them threatening to wipe other countries off the map and supporting Terrorist groups. Bring in the tough sanctions, and openly support the Iranian Green Movement. Not a quick fix, but will apply additional pressure to a President clutching for legitamacy.
Posted by: Outsider | December 22, 2009, 9:12 pm 9:12 pm
I speak from the Iranian government point of view: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha .
Posted by: tj | December 22, 2009, 9:25 pm 9:25 pm
tierra, progressive mama – i would prefer to read your thoughts on the actual subject being discussed in this thread and not the comments left here.
Posted by: Stick to the subject | December 22, 2009, 9:44 pm 9:44 pm
“They asked me just to hold off for a while and not to say anything about this language.”
Harsh . .. sounds like a ‘dictatorship’ alright.
Posted by: tierra | December 22, 2009, 9:54 pm 9:54 pm
If he had any real knowledge of the theocracy in Iran he would have known that nothing would stand in the way of their pursuit of nuclear weapons.His ignorance of international reality is astounding.Looking weak never gets this country anywhere;currently the world now sees how weak Mr. Obama is and acts accordingly.
Posted by: Nephron | December 22, 2009, 10:20 pm 10:20 pm
If he had any real knowledge of the theocracy in Iran he would have known that nothing would stand in the way of their pursuit of nuclear weapons.His ignorance of international reality is astounding.
__________________________________
I would suggest the President has WAY more knowledge than you sugarplum . ..
Posted by: tierra | December 22, 2009, 10:30 pm 10:30 pm
Good. It is a refreshing return to competence that the administration is coming up with a plan B and C even before plan A fails. Far better than going from the gut and staying the course with a failed strategy (as the Bush admin did with their light foot print approach at great cost in American lives and treasure for years in Iraq).
Posted by: jhw539 | December 22, 2009, 10:47 pm 10:47 pm
“It is a refreshing return to competence that the administration is coming up with a plan B and C even before plan A fails. ”
Plan A failed months ago.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 22, 2009, 11:10 pm 11:10 pm
I would hope that he had more knowledge about Iran than me-but apparently he doesn’t know the difference between a “haftir”and a hatpin.
Posted by: Nephron | December 22, 2009, 11:13 pm 11:13 pm
His ignorance of international reality is astounding. Looking weak never gets this country anywhere;currently the world now sees how weak Mr. Obama is and acts accordingly.
Posted by: Nephron |
I would suggest the President has WAY more knowledge than you sugarplum . ..
Posted by: tierra |
I’m sure you would offer evidence if you had any.
I’m equally sure you ignore the evidence that the world perceives Obama as weak.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 22, 2009, 11:15 pm 11:15 pm
barry obama.
The Rodney Dangerfield of American Presidents.
(No disrespect meant to the late Mr. Dangerfield)
Posted by: ceeLeelee | December 22, 2009, 11:24 pm 11:24 pm
I’m sure you would offer evidence if you had any.
I’m equally sure you ignore the evidence that the world perceives Obama as weak.
__________________________________
I would suggest the President has WAY more knowledge than you sugarplum . ..
Obama has always been smart enough to surround himself with excellent advisors from a wide political spectrum . . .
p.s. – the world was so ‘scared’ of Bush that the North Koreans developed and tested their first nuclear weapon on his watch – and Iran built their secret nuclear facility on his watch as well.
The phony macho posture of the Republican right (and their attempts to frame Obama as weak) is laughable.
Posted by: tierra | December 22, 2009, 11:33 pm 11:33 pm
The weapons the North Koreans tested while Bush was President were duds-they never achieved fission.He excellent advisors included those responsible for inviting unknown tourists to a Presidential breakfast, allowing gatecrashers to attend his first state dinner and being totally unaware of the health bill giving health insurance companies massive new subsides from 30 million new customers.
Posted by: Nephron | December 22, 2009, 11:45 pm 11:45 pm
“The weapons the North Koreans tested while Bush was President were duds’
_________________________________
And imagine what you would be saying if Iran was testing nuclear weapons on Obama’s watch – you would be tearing him to pieces.
These North Korean nuclear tests and development took place on Bush’s watch.
Quit pretending the world was ‘scared’ of Bush and he controlled the renegades – he did not. They both went further nuclear on his shift – and he got it all wrong on Iraq – who were no where nuclear. And he killed tens of thousands hitting the wrong target.
And Iran DID develop their secret nuclear facility on Bush’s watch.
The right wing macho Republican stance and put down of Obama is phony as a 3-dollar bill.
Posted by: tierra | December 23, 2009, 12:02 am 12:02 am
The weapons the North Koreans tested while Bush was President were duds-they never achieved fission. Posted by: Nephron
makes one wonder why ‘W’, the great ‘Decider’ failed to attack N. Korea with another pre-emptive strike as he did with Iraq, why didn’t Bush care enough about america to protect us from those dastardly N.Koreans? at least he could have claimed to know where the WMD’s were
Posted by: Oh Yeah | December 23, 2009, 12:18 am 12:18 am
“The disgraceful bowing.
The staggering arrogance”
I still can’t understand how somebody you criticize for bowing too much could be considered arrogant. Is he bowing sarcastically? I guess it goes along with being a weak thug or a socialist that’s in the pocket of Wall st.
Posted by: Skip | December 23, 2009, 12:30 am 12:30 am
I still can’t understand how somebody you criticize for bowing too much could be considered arrogant. Posted by: Skip
careful Skip,
exposing the absolute stupidity of the right can land you in a secret Fema detention camp where you will have to show your birth certificate while eating 2 portions of ‘freedom fries’, and, beg for forgiveness before he death panel, waiting for the ‘orange alert’ to pass.
Posted by: Oh Yeah | December 23, 2009, 12:39 am 12:39 am
“exposing the absolute stupidity of the right can land you in a secret Fema detention camp”
But if you’re a good righty you get to go to a right-wing recreational park featuring a full sized exclusive hunting range and bar where you can all get popped and shoot each other with bird-shot, a water slide filled with money, and an authentically reproduced Abu Ghraib funhouse.
Posted by: Skip | December 23, 2009, 12:54 am 12:54 am
This is just a bunch of spin to make people believe the Appeaser-in-Chief is doing something when the opposite is true. No one really believes sanctions will stop Iran EVEN if the sanctions are severe (as if Russia & China will agree to tough sanctions). The truth is that the Obama administration has tacitly accepted a nuclear-armed Iran & stupidly believes Islamic crazies with nuclear weapons can be ”contained” – that deterrence will work with madmen.
The only thing Obama is actually doing is trying to prevent an Israeli military strike.
Every country in the region is adapting their foreign policy to reflect a weak America. Iran’s influence will force the entire region to take more anti-American positions (as if they’re not anti-American enough already).
Posted by: Terry | December 23, 2009, 2:44 am 2:44 am
The truth is that the Obama administration has tacitly accepted a nuclear-armed Iran
Posted by: Terry
so why didn’t those ‘great’ americans Bush & Cheney attack Iran, finish Iraq, Afghanistan and let N. Korea off the hook…. how come they tacitly let Bin Laden escape…..
someday, you might ‘understand’ mid east politics, and that will give you a free pass into Rush Land house of mirrors
Posted by: Oh Yeah | December 23, 2009, 2:57 am 2:57 am
But if you’re a good righty you get to go to a right-wing recreational park
Posted by: Skip
isn’t that rec park in an undisclosed location, that has special republican bathrooms to accommodate wide stances
Posted by: Oh Yeah | December 23, 2009, 3:00 am 3:00 am
one from 2005:
(Pentagon selling arms to Iran)
dept of defense contrators..
keep a microscope on em all..
yes, they did, and how much more is going to die from it?
Posted by: follow the $$ | December 23, 2009, 3:01 am 3:01 am
Uh-oh. Watch out! Obama is going to get tough.
More letters from Obama heading towards Iran….
This time the words “serious”, “sanctions” and “tough” will highlighted in yellow and underlined three times with a red pen!
And the warning letters are going to be also signed by Michelle (but using secret invisible ink).
And Obama is also going to enclose a photo of Joe Biden wearing a sheriff`s badge. (And the photo will have a personal note from Joe saying, “Don`t mess with Joe!”
Posted by: Thomas M. | December 23, 2009, 5:09 am 5:09 am
@tierra – With the worst ratings of any President at this point in an administration, wouldn`t you agree that it is more than Republicans who are displeased with Obama?
A Rasmussen poll out says that Forty-six percent (46%) Strongly Disapprove of Obama. That is worse than Bush ever received!
Posted by: Dylan (not Bob) | December 23, 2009, 5:13 am 5:13 am
Obama Now More Loathed Than Bush at End of His Second Term. Bush had a 43% disapproval rating at the end of his second term. obama has a 46% disapproval rating at the end of his 1st year in office.
Now, if Bush’s 43% disapproval rating resulted in obama defeating McCain in November 2008, then what will obama’s 46% and increasing disapproval rating mean for him in 2010?
One answer – you pass this health care, you will see a backlash in all parties like you’ve never seen before in this country. Axlerod/emmanual – you won’t be able to spin this positive with your pr machine – guaranteed.
Posted by: Jenny | December 23, 2009, 6:22 am 6:22 am
Isn’t it interesting that China works against us in trying to control a radical religious clerical regime like Iran from blackmailing the world with nuclear weapons. I’m sure these two countries are in cahoots with one another – most likely China providing military or other dubious equipment or technology to Iran. China, being the up and coming superpower, isn’t behaving responsibly. China should know better. They have their own problems with radical Islamics on their own border.
Posted by: Bob | December 23, 2009, 8:27 am 8:27 am
Maybe we could send Iran a real bad letter I mean a real real real real real bad letter and if the UN also send a mean letter all things will be OK if you are a media bottom feeder.
Posted by: Daniel | December 23, 2009, 9:16 am 9:16 am
@tierra – With the worst ratings of any President at this point in an administration, wouldn`t you agree that it is more than Republicans who are displeased with Obama?
Posted by: Dylan (not Bob) | Dec 23, 2009 5:13:18 AM
I would agree.
Via Rasmussen, Obama has lost the unaffiliated voters’ approval – hardly a stronghold for Republican right wing extremist fear mongering smear merchannts, or whatever:
77% of Democrats approve
88% of Republicans disapprove
62% of unaffiliated voters disapprove
(PS: If he can’t create jobs, he’s toast.)
Posted by: Live! From DC! It's Sat Night! | December 23, 2009, 9:31 am 9:31 am
Also at Rasmussen yesterday:
82% of GOP voters and 70% of unaffiliateds have more faith in their own judgment when it comes to the country’s economic problems. Democrats are more narrowly divided: 44% trust the president more, while 34% have more confidence in themselves.
66% of voters prefer a smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes over a more active government with more services and higher taxes.
55% oppose the health care plan now working its way through Congress. 58% say it will drive up the cost of health care.
57% of voters say passing nothing would be preferable to passing the current legislation.
Posted by: Live! From DC! It's Sat Night! | December 23, 2009, 9:37 am 9:37 am
Both political parties are bad for the American People. They parties have done little except help their buddies in the political and business fields with little regard for the average person. Its clear they pander to their party affiliations and to the special interest groups. The WEB news articles are making that evident and making the MSM almost irrelevent as a news source, clearly the MSM is aware of this looking at their revenues. In dealing with Iran the current Adminstration just like the last one will waste more time going through the UN. Simple response, its China and Russia that is stopping all progress in dealing with Iran. And they are not going to change their tune, so stop hoping for it.
Posted by: Spanky | December 23, 2009, 1:47 pm 1:47 pm
@tierra – With the worst ratings of any President at this point in an administration, wouldn`t you agree that it is more than Republicans who are displeased with Obama?
______________________________________
The public expresses displeasure in polls. As you know, Reagan fell to 35% approval during his first term – far below the current President.
And Reagan won re-election – so the public’s opinion shifts.
Reagan also faced a very difficult economy, though not nearly as severe as the current one.
Posted by: tierra | December 23, 2009, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
Neither babble nor sanctions will work. Get the bombs ready.
Posted by: Ron | December 23, 2009, 4:24 pm 4:24 pm
Nobody wants Israel to attack because it will provoke a huge response which will result in a strong probability of a World War, so i und position of obama and still the threat of iran to have nuclear weapons makes me nervious
Posted by: ilona@israel | December 27, 2009, 11:45 am 11:45 am