Obama Not Ruling Out Stronger Sanctions Against Iran if it Pursues Nuclear Weapons
By VOA News
18 May 2009
U.S. President Barack Obama says he is not ruling out a range of steps to take with Iran if it pursues nuclear weapons, including "much stronger" international sanctions.
Mr. Obama was speaking Monday after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.
The president says a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat not only to the United States and Israel. He said it also would be profoundly destabilizing to the world, and could set off a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
Israel considers Iran to be a threat to its existence. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful.
Mr. Obama says he is reaching out to Iran's government to try to persuade it that pursuing nuclear weapons is not in Iran's interests. He described the Islamic state as a country of extraordinary history and potential.
Mr. Obama says his talks with Mr. Netanyahu were "extraordinarily productive" and reflect the "special relationship" between the United States and Israel. He described Israel as a "stalwart ally" whose security remains a "paramount" U.S. policy.
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