US may seek new sanctions on Iran following IAEA report

AP - The United States is readying a range of unilateral sanctions against Iran, as well as additional measures with international partners, should the Islamic Republic fail to answer fresh questions about its nuclear ambitions posed by a report released Tuesday by a United Nations watchdog.

While U.S. officials view the International Atomic Energy Agency’s report as a vindication of its long-held assertion that Iran’s nuclear program is aimed at developing weapons, the new intelligence was not likely to be a game-changer. U.S. officials insisted they were still focused on using sanctions and diplomatic channels to punish Iran for its nuclear ambitions, and steered clear of any suggestion that the international community was moving closer to taking military action.

The IAEA reveals for the first time that Iran is suspected of conducting secret experiments whose sole purpose is the development of nuclear arms. It is the strongest sign yet that Iran seeks to build a nuclear arsenal, despite the Islamic republic’s claims to the contrary.