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October 13, 2011

U.S. Seizes on Alleged Plot in Push for New Iran Sanctions 
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The Obama administration is calling for intensified international
sanctions on Iran in the wake of its allegations the Iranian government
plotted to carry out an attack inside the United States. Two alleged
operatives were indicted this week on charges they sought to hire a
Mexican drug cartel to assassinate the Saudi ambassador. At the White
House, Press Secretary Jay Carney refused to rule out the use of
military force on Iran, but said the United States will press for
sanctions.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney: "In in this arena, we take no
options off the table. But in dealing with Iran we are clearly focused
on working through economic measures, sanctions, as well as diplomatic
measures to isolate Iran. And we've had, we think, substantial success
doing that. For the first time in a long time, the Iranian economy is
not growing."

The Iranian government has dismissed the allegations as a fraud.
Elsewhere in Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton backed the
push for sanctions, calling the alleged plot "a dangerous escalation."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: "This plot, very fortunately
disrupted by the excellent work of our law enforcement and intelligence
professionals, was a flagrant violation of international and U.S. law
and a dangerous escalation of the Iranian government's longstanding use
of political violence and sponsorship of terrorism."



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