The US has warned India to honour UN sanctions against Iran after its foreign secretary criticised "unilateral" measures against Tehran over suspicions it is developing a nuclear weapons programme.
Phillip J. Crowley, a spokesman for the US State Department, said it was for India to decide what individual measures it would take, but warned its security would be threatened if Iran became a nuclear power.
Mr Crowley said India had a responsibility to persuade Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. "This is about the danger of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, which will affect countries outside of the region, including India. So everyone has a responsibility to do what each country can to convince Iran to change its present course."
India has long-standing ties with Iran and has made a number of substantial investments in its oil and gas sectors. Its Congress-led government has said while it will honour UN sanctions against Iran, it favours dialogue and remains opposed to "unilateral" additional sanctions announced by the US and the European Union.
Last month, the EU and US announced a series of sanctions against Iran which were significantly tougher than those agreed by the UN days earlier. The EU announced sanctions against investments in and technology transfers to Iran's oil and gas industries, while the US banned American investments in Iranian firms.
India's foreign secretary said India opposed any actions which go beyond the UN resolutions.
"Unilateral sanctions recently imposed by individual countries, with their restrictions on investment by third countries in Iran's energy sector, can have a direct and adverse impact on Indian companies and more importantly, on our energy security and our attempts to meet the development needs of our people," she said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...-warns-India-not-to-break-Iran-sanctions.html
Phillip J. Crowley, a spokesman for the US State Department, said it was for India to decide what individual measures it would take, but warned its security would be threatened if Iran became a nuclear power.
Mr Crowley said India had a responsibility to persuade Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. "This is about the danger of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, which will affect countries outside of the region, including India. So everyone has a responsibility to do what each country can to convince Iran to change its present course."
India has long-standing ties with Iran and has made a number of substantial investments in its oil and gas sectors. Its Congress-led government has said while it will honour UN sanctions against Iran, it favours dialogue and remains opposed to "unilateral" additional sanctions announced by the US and the European Union.
Last month, the EU and US announced a series of sanctions against Iran which were significantly tougher than those agreed by the UN days earlier. The EU announced sanctions against investments in and technology transfers to Iran's oil and gas industries, while the US banned American investments in Iranian firms.
India's foreign secretary said India opposed any actions which go beyond the UN resolutions.
"Unilateral sanctions recently imposed by individual countries, with their restrictions on investment by third countries in Iran's energy sector, can have a direct and adverse impact on Indian companies and more importantly, on our energy security and our attempts to meet the development needs of our people," she said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...-warns-India-not-to-break-Iran-sanctions.html
