The U.N. Security Council imposed arms and financial sanctions on Iran on Saturday for its refusal to suspend nuclear work. Key nations at the same time offered new talks and renewed an economic and technological incentive package offer.
Iran said in response it would partially suspend cooperation with the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency and called the sanctions illegal.
The White House called the response from Tehran disappointing, with spokeswoman Dana Perino saying the Iranian government “is turning a blind eye” to the United Nations Security Council.
“We hope the Iranian people would see that the hard-line policies and the rhetoric that is coming out of its leaders such as President (Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad is not helpful to the country,” she said.
The diplomatic dispute was complicated by Iran’s seizure of 15 British sailors in the Gulf last Friday and a warning from Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards to the United States against attacking the Islamic Republic.
Perino said the United States backed British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s attempts to gain freedom for the sailors, called the situation serious and added, “We stand by our British allies.”
But she said Washington wants the nuclear dispute resolved peacefully.
“I would reiterate that there is no intention of going to war with Iran. The United Nations Security Council just spoke unanimously on Saturday night, as part of our ongoing diplomatic efforts,” she said.
The United States suspects Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon, a charge Tehran denies.
