Obama, Medvedev to ‘intensify’ efforts on Iran sanctions: US

AFP: US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev Thursday agreed to step up moves on new sanctions against Iran over its suspect nuclear program, the White House said.

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev Thursday agreed to step up moves on new sanctions against Iran over its suspect nuclear program, the White House said.

In a wide-ranging phone call, the two leaders noted the “good progress” being made on the issue and “agreed to instruct their negotiators to intensify their efforts to reach conclusion as soon as possible,” a statement said.

The two countries have been working with China, France, Great Britain and Germany toward a UN Security Council resolution on Iran.

Meanwhile, the US State Department has indicated time is running out before the UN Security Council will be asked to adopt a fourth round of sanctions against Iran.

“In the next few weeks, we expect to table a resolution in New York,” State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters in Washington on Thursday.

“We continue to move forward on a sanctions resolution. We have a sense of urgency on this,” he added.