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PM, Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy statement on Iran sanctions

PM, Merkel, Sarkozy: We call on Iran to suspend nuclear activities and abide by international obligations.

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The Prime Minister David Cameron, Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy have issued a joint statement  in response to today’s EU decision to impose further sanctions on Iran.

The statement reads:

Today, the EU agreed an unprecedented package of sanctions on Iran, including a full ban on Iranian oil exports.

Our message is clear. We have no quarrel with the Iranian people. But the Iranian leadership has failed to restore international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme. We will not accept Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon. Iran has so far had no regard for its international obligations and is already exporting and threatening violence around its region.

We call on Iran’s leadership immediately to suspend its sensitive nuclear activities and abide fully by its international obligations. The door is open to Iran to engage in serious and meaningful negotiations about its nuclear programme. Until Iran comes to the table, we will be united behind strong measures to undermine the regime’s ability to fund its nuclear programme, and to demonstrate the cost of a path that threatens the peace and security of us all.

Published 23 January 2012