As speculations spreading fast on threats that Israel will launch a strike against Iran, the United States today said now is the time for the international community to keep the pressure on and even more importantly for Iran.
Assistant Secretary Philip H. Gordon for Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs today states clearly the talk on Israel lauching a strike against Iran is an action that is drawing concerns throughout the world.
He states that the international community really must increasingly unite on this front.
“We are seeing more and more countries sign on to very tough sanctions to send a signal to Iran that it really needs to come back and talk seriously about this enrichment program.” -Mr Gordon
During an interview with Geeta Guru-Murthy of BBC, Mr. Gordon cited that the United States has a twin-track policy on resolving the issues on Iran and Israel.
He made it clear that the United States is determined on both tracks that as long as Iran is not abiding by its obligations in the international community, U.N. security council resolutions on its enrichment program, the U.S. government is determined to continue to rally international support to raise the costs on Iran for failing to abide by its obligations.
“We are also sincere in wanting to resolve this diplomatically, and I think President Obama has been very explicit that we are ready to talk.” -Mr. Gordon
He noted that invitations have been extended to Iran by Katherine Ashton, the High Representative for the European Union’s foreign policy, to come and meet.
The U.S. government is looking to Iran to respond substantively to that invitation and to bring it back to the negotiating table.
“Until and unless they do, I think you will see an increasingly determined and united international community and you’ve seen even in recent weeks that pressure rise and I think it’s having an impact in Iran.” -Mr. Gordon
Iran does not maintain relations with Israel. As Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said once on June 2011 that Israel was “doomed.”
Hostility started between Iran and Israel during the era of the Pahlavi dynasty to hostility since the Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Iran has severed all diplomatic and commercial ties with Israel. However, Iran does not recognize Israel as a country. Iran refers Israel government as the “Zionist regime.” The land is referred to by Iran as “Occupied territories.”
Due to Iran’s development of nuclear technology, and funding of the groups Hamas and Hezbollah, tensions have risen between the State of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
