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France calls for "unprecedented" sanctions against Iran

Xinhua, November 10, 2011

• France on Wednesday called for "sanctions of unprecedented proportions" against Iran after the release of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report on Iran's nuclear issue.

  The IAEA report "reinforced the deep concern of France with regard to Iran's nuclear program," according to a statement released by the French Foreign Ministry on behalf of Foreign Minister Alain Juppe.

  The statement noted that Iran "has sought and very likely continues in seeking to develop atomic weapons under cover of an allegedly peaceful civilian program."

  "The elements of the IAEA report on the activities of militarization, combined with the accumulation of uranium enrichment and further intensive ballistic tests, form a picture that leaves little room for doubt about Iran's intentions," Juppe said.

  "If Iran refuses to comply with the demands of the international community and refuses any serious cooperation, we stand ready to adopt, with all countries that follow, the sanctions of unprecedented magnitude," the minister added.

  The IAEA said Tuesday in its latest report on Iran's nuclear program that "credible" evidence showed Iran has engaged in projects and experiments relevant to the development of nuclear weapons.

  "The information indicates that Iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device," said IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano in the report.

  Iran has long insisted that its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes such as meeting the ever-growing energy needs.

  Teheran completely rejected the report and insisted that Iran had no nuclear weapon program, criticizing that the IAEA report was "unbalanced, unprofessional and politically motivated."

  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that the Islamic Republic would not step back "an iota" from its nuclear path.

  Addressing a crowd in the central city of Shahr-e-Kord, Ahmadinejad said that "They (Westerners and the IAEA) accuse us of building a nuclear bomb."

  However, "we don't need an atomic bomb," the president stressed during his speech broadcasted live on the state TV.

  Analysts believe that Western countries will cite the findings in the report to push forward with more severe and crippling sanctions.

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