Turning the Thumb Screws: Hillary Proclaims Iran Sanctions Breakthrough

05-18-2010 • RawStory.com

Clinton said the United States and its partners "are proceeding to rally the international community on behalf of a strong sanctions resolution that will, in our view, send an unmistakable message about what is expected from Iran." Those partners form the P5-plus-1, or the permanent five members of the UN Security Council -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France -- plus Germany. China had long shown particular resistance toward new sanctions against Iran, and Russia had only recently expressed an openness toward such punitive measures. Clinton said the deal for new sanctions came after hard work. She said the United States had been working for weeks with China and Russia powers "on the draft of a new sanctions resolution on Iran, and today I am pleased to announce to this committee we have reached agreement on a strong draft with the cooperation of both Russia and China." The agreement Clinton announced here came all the more as a surprise as both Russia and China seemed to show a measure of support for the Brazil-Turkey-Iran deal. China said Tuesday it supported Iran's agreement to ship low enriched uranium to Turkey, adding that it hoped the deal would lead to a peaceful resolution of the Iranian nuclear impasse. Iran on Monday signed an agreement with Turkey and Brazil to ship 1,200 kilograms (2,640 pounds) of its low enriched uranium to Turkey in return for higher grade fuel for a Tehran research reactor. Western powers fear that Iran's atomic program is a cover for a nuclear weapons drive. Tehran denies this, saying the program is aimed at peaceful energy use, which it insists it has the right to pursue.