U.S. Building Consensus for Harsher Sanctions on Iran

Days after Iran admitted to constructing a secret nuclear facility and claimed to have tested several long-range missiles, the Obama administration is preparing to press for harsh economic sanctions against the rogue nation. New sanctions could involve blacklisting even more Iranian banks and cutting off investments to the country's oil and gas industry. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates called the United States' options "a pretty rich list to pick from."

The administration also hopes to bring in a broad coalition of other nations that could act against Iran independently of the U.N. Security Council should Russia and China veto any sanctions proposed there. Those two countries are insistent about maintaining their economic relationships with Iran, which creates a conundrum for the U.S. and other Western nations hoping that sanctions will force Iran to negotiate over its nuclear program.

The U.S. will meet with Iran in four days for the first face-to-face negotiations in over 30 years. The administration bolstered its foreign backing Friday when President Obama outed Iran's secret nuclear plant at the G20 summit in Pittsburgh.

U.S. Is Seeking a Range of Sanctions Against Iran [New York Times]