Rallying its allies against Iran, the Obama administration is pressing for “very tough” sanctions against the Islamic Republic that could bring about regime change.
"We're... going through the UN this month to present sanctions," James Jones, President Barack Obama’s national security advisor, told Fox News Sunday, February 14.
Iran and the West are at loggerheads over a UN-sponsored deal, under which Iran would send about 70 percent of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France in exchange for more highly enriched fuel to produce medical isotopes.
The West demands Iran to accept the deal, while Tehran insists that the low-enriched uranium swap should happen on stages.
Jones said that the new sanctions on Iran could bring “regime change” in the country.
"We know that internally there is a very serious problem,” he said, referring to the political turmoil in Iran over the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last year.
“We're about to add to that regime's difficulties by engineering, participating in very tough sanctions, which we support.
"Not mild sanctions. These are very tough sanctions. A combination of those things could well trigger a regime change -- it's possible."
The West accuses Tehran of developing a secret nuclear weapons program.
Iran insists that its nuclear program only aims at procuring power to feed an increasing local consumption.
Greater Costs
A similar message was echoed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, warning Iran of “greater costs” over its nuclear program.
"Iran leaves the international community little choice but to impose greater costs for its provocative steps," Clinton said in a speech at the US-Islamic World forum in Doha.
"Together, we are encouraging Iran to reconsider its dangerous policy decisions," she said.
"We are now working actively with our regional and international partners, in the context of our dual track approach, to prepare and implement new measures to convince Iran to change its course."
Washington has been working to shore up the support of Iran allies, Russia and China, to slap sanctions on Tehran .
"We have the support of everyone from Russia to Europe,” US Vice President Joe Biden told NBC's "Meet the Press" from Canada, where he was attending the Olympics.
“And I believe we'll get the support of China to continue to impose sanctions on Iran to isolate them, to make it clear that in fact they cannot move forward."
Clinton is due to visit Saudi Arabia for talks with King Abdullah on Monday.
US officials have hinted that one way Saudi Arabia could help diplomatically by guaranteeing China it would meet its oil requirements, a step that might ease Beijing's reluctance to impose further sanctions on Iran.
China, which wields a veto on the Security Council, has lucrative commercial relationships with Iran and, along with Russia, has worked to dilute previous sanctions resolutions.
"We need to work on China a little bit more," Jones, the national security adviser, said.
"But China wants to be seen as a responsible global influence in this. On this issue, they can't, they cannot be nonsupportive."
"We're... going through the UN this month to present sanctions," James Jones, President Barack Obama’s national security advisor, told Fox News Sunday, February 14.
Iran and the West are at loggerheads over a UN-sponsored deal, under which Iran would send about 70 percent of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France in exchange for more highly enriched fuel to produce medical isotopes.
The West demands Iran to accept the deal, while Tehran insists that the low-enriched uranium swap should happen on stages.
Jones said that the new sanctions on Iran could bring “regime change” in the country.
"We know that internally there is a very serious problem,” he said, referring to the political turmoil in Iran over the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last year.
“We're about to add to that regime's difficulties by engineering, participating in very tough sanctions, which we support.
"Not mild sanctions. These are very tough sanctions. A combination of those things could well trigger a regime change -- it's possible."
The West accuses Tehran of developing a secret nuclear weapons program.
Iran insists that its nuclear program only aims at procuring power to feed an increasing local consumption.
Greater Costs
A similar message was echoed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, warning Iran of “greater costs” over its nuclear program.
"Iran leaves the international community little choice but to impose greater costs for its provocative steps," Clinton said in a speech at the US-Islamic World forum in Doha.
"Together, we are encouraging Iran to reconsider its dangerous policy decisions," she said.
"We are now working actively with our regional and international partners, in the context of our dual track approach, to prepare and implement new measures to convince Iran to change its course."
Washington has been working to shore up the support of Iran allies, Russia and China, to slap sanctions on Tehran .
"We have the support of everyone from Russia to Europe,” US Vice President Joe Biden told NBC's "Meet the Press" from Canada, where he was attending the Olympics.
“And I believe we'll get the support of China to continue to impose sanctions on Iran to isolate them, to make it clear that in fact they cannot move forward."
Clinton is due to visit Saudi Arabia for talks with King Abdullah on Monday.
US officials have hinted that one way Saudi Arabia could help diplomatically by guaranteeing China it would meet its oil requirements, a step that might ease Beijing's reluctance to impose further sanctions on Iran.
China, which wields a veto on the Security Council, has lucrative commercial relationships with Iran and, along with Russia, has worked to dilute previous sanctions resolutions.
"We need to work on China a little bit more," Jones, the national security adviser, said.
"But China wants to be seen as a responsible global influence in this. On this issue, they can't, they cannot be nonsupportive."
