Rice Urges UN Security Council to Impose Iran Sanctions Now

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is urgingbeen one such case, so is Iran. The Iranian regime
the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions onis watching how the world responds to North
Iran immediately, saying the Tehran governmentKorea's behavior and it can now see the
must be held accountable for its defianceinternational community will confront this threat.
regarding the nation's nuclear program. SecretaryIran can see that the path North Korea is
Rice says Iran is closely watching the world'schoosing is not leading to more prestige and more
reaction to North Korea's recent nuclear test, andprosperity or more security. It is leading to just
says weapons programs in both countries willthe opposite."
never bring them prestige or more security.Western nations fear Iran's uranium enrichment
Secretary Rice says it is time for action on Iran'sprogram could allow the Islamic republic to make
nuclear program.nuclear weapons. Teheran insists its program is
"The United Nations Security Council is nowsolely aimed at generating electricity.
working on an Iran sanctions resolution. For theSecretary Rice also urged North Korea to return
international community to be credible, it mustto talks regarding incentives being offered if
pass a resolution now that holds Iran accountablePyongyang abandons its efforts to build nuclear
for its defiance," she said.weapons.
Secretary Rice made the remarks in a speech at"North Korea should live up to its own international
the Heritage Foundation, a Washington-basedagreements to de-nuclearize and it should pursue
public policy institute.policies that are not hostile to its neighbors and
She says Iran should pay close attention to thehostile to international principles and norms of
wide-ranging sanctions being imposed on Northbehavior," she said. "Everything North Korea says
Korea since it carried out its first test of a nuclearthat it seeks is on the table in the six-party talks."
weapon earlier this month.The six-party process, which includes the United
"The greatest challenge to the non-proliferationStates, North Korea, China, South Korea, Japan
regime comes from countries that violate theirand Russia, began in 2003, but has been stalled
responsibilities under the Non-Proliferation Treaty,"for more than a year because of a boycott by
she added. "The North Korean government hasPyongyang.