The United States and France have called for fresh sanctions against Iran after Tehran formally said it would begin enriching higher-grade nuclear fuel to a level of 20 per cent. Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, and Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, said Iran should face "strong sanctions" over its nuclear programme, a French official said following a meeting between the two men in Paris.PJ Crowley, a spokesman for the US state department, told Al Jazeera that Washington was "looking at how we can apply pressure on Iran, on the government itself".
"We have no interest in creating additional hardships on the Iranian people but we'll be looking at a variety of options particularly focused on the Revolutionary Guard Corps that's played an increasing role in not only Iran's security but also its economy.
"We should try to support the Iranian people Â… but certainly we have to look at ways in which we can apply pressure on the government and its various entities so that should Iran continue to act in contradiction to UN Security Council resolutions, that it will pay a price for that intransigence."
Recognising that "there is a legitimate humanitarian need in having additional fuel that can provide the Tehran research reactor the ability to produce medical isotopes that have a valuable role for the Iranian people", Crowley said the US had not "given up on engagement".
"We're willing to sit down with Iran as we did last fall in a good faith effort - Iran has to be willing to meet us halfway," he said.
Bernard Kouchner, the French foreign minister, said on Monday that he did not believe Iran had the ability to raise the enrichment level of its uranium and that the move by Tehran was "blackmail".
"One could call it diplomacy, but if that is what is then it is truly negative," said Kouchner.
Gates also said more pressure had to be applied to the Iranian government. "The only path that is left to us at this point, it seems to me, is that pressure track but it will require all of the international community to work together," Gates said. "We must still try and find a peaceful way to resolve this issue."
Asked about the possibility of an Israeli strike on Iran over its nuclear programme, Gates said: "Everybody's interest is in seeing this issue resolved without a resort to conflict."
Kouchner said all the major powers apart from China were in favour of a fourth round of UN-backed sanctions. However, he said there was no deadline for reaching an agreement and added that he did not fear that any Israeli action was imminent.