RT @StateDept #SecClinton: Our own choice is clear — We will use all elements of American power to prevent #Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
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Continued Imprisonment of Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani and Repression of Minorities in Iran
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
July 9, 2012
We note that July 8 marked 1,000 days Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has spent in an Iranian prison. Pastor Nadarkhani still faces the threat of execution for simply following his faith, and we repeat our call for Iranian authorities to release him immediately.
Unfortunately, Pastor Nadarkhani is not alone in his suffering. The Iranian regime continues to deny and abuse the human rights of its citizens, in particular those of its many ethnic and religious minorities. We are troubled by reports of the execution of four members of Iran’s Ahwazi Arab community, whose sentences were carried out with little due process. In March 2012, Iranian state media broadcast the forced confession of one of those executed.
We are also concerned by credible reports that prominent author Mohammad Soleimani Nia is missing following his release in May after five months in prison on unspecified charges.
We call upon Iranian authorities to respect and protect the freedoms and dignity of all its citizens, and to uphold its own laws and international obligations which guarantee such rights to all Iranians, regardless of their religious or political beliefs.
RT @StateDept @PressSec: The U.S. welcomes the EU’s prohibition of all Iranian crude oil imports. http://go.usa.gov/wbT #Iran
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Travel of Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy R. Sherman to Russia
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
June 16, 2012
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy R. Sherman departs for Moscow, Russia today to lead the United States’ delegation to talks June 18-19 between the P5+1 countries (China, France, Germany, Russia, U.K., United States and EU) and Iran over Iran’s nuclear program.
Travel Diary: Secretary Clinton in Turkey
![U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton shakes hands with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu before a meeting in Istanbul on June 7, 2012. [AP Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0607_clinton_turkey_m.jpg)
More: Trip Page | Interactive Travel Map
On June 7, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, to co-chair the Global Counterterrorism Forum Ministerial and consult with senior Turkish officials on a range of foreign policy challenges, including Syria and Iran.
During her remarks at the Global Counterterrorism Forum Ministerial, Secretary Clintonsaid, “The Global Counterterrorism Forum emphasizes strengthening civilian institutions as a critical part of our strategy. And we’re already taking important steps to put this into practice, building new partnerships with the United… more »
Secretary Clinton in Sweden
![U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, center, Swedish Defense Minister Karin Enstrom, 2nd left, and Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, left, greet local residents at Vaxholm Island near Stockholm, Sweden, June 3, 2012. [AP Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0603_clinton_sweden_m.jpg)
More: Trip Page | Interactive Travel Map
On June 3, 2012, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Stockholm, Sweden, where she met with senior Swedish officials to discuss a range of issues, including green energy, Internet freedom, Afghanistan, and the Middle East.
Following her meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, Secretary Clinton said, “Sweden brings its diplomatic heft and its development expertise to nearly every corner of the globe. And at the Chicago Summit we were pleased to welcome Sweden as one of NATO’s strongest partners, standing…more »
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton comments on human rights, Iran, and U.S.-China relations during her remarks at the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing, China on May 3, 2012. [Go to http://video.state.gov for more video and text transcript.]
Secretary Clinton in Saudi Arabia
![From left to right: United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdallah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Omani Minister of Foreign Affairs Yussef bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled al-Hamad Al-Sabah, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Hamad bin Jassim, Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheik Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber bin Muhammad al-Thani, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa, pose for a group photo before a U.S.- Gulf Cooperation Council forum at the Gulf Cooperation Council Secretariat in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 31, 2012. [AP Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0331_clinton_gcc_m.jpg)
Trip Page | Interactive Travel Map
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia March 30-31, 2012. While in Riyadh, she met with King Abdullah and Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal. During their meeting, King Abdullah and Secretary Clinton discussed the situation in Iran and upcoming plans for the P-5+1 meetings with the Iranians. They talked about Syria in advance of the second meeting of the Friends of the Syrian People, which is scheduled to take place in Istanbul, Turkey on April 1, 2012. They also discussed Yemen, Tunisia, Egypt, global oil supplies, and… more »
Remarks by Rosemary A. DiCarlo, Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at a Security Council Briefing on Iran and Resolution 1737, in New York on March 21, 2012.
U.S. Condemns Iran’s Announcement on Qom
Press Statement
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State Washington, DC
January 10, 2012
The United States condemns the Iranian Government’s decision to begin enrichment operations at its Qom facility, an act contrary to its obligations under multiple United Nations Security Council and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors resolutions. This step once again demonstrates the Iranian regime’s blatant disregard for its responsibilities and that the country’s growing isolation is self-inflicted.
The circumstances surrounding this latest action are especially troubling. Iran only declared the Qom facility to the IAEA after it was discovered by the international community following three years of covert construction. Iran has announced it intends to consolidate and increase its production of uranium enriched to a near 20 percent level at this facility. There is no plausible justification for this production. Such enrichment brings Iran a significant step closer to having the capability to produce weapons-grade highly enriched uranium.
Iran claims that this decision was necessary to produce fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor (TRR). This is false. The P5+1 has offered alternatives for providing fuel for the TRR despite Iran’s longstanding refusal to fulfill its international nuclear obligations. Iran has refused these offers.
We call upon Iran to immediately cease uranium enrichment and to comply with its international nuclear obligations. We also call on Iran to return to negotiations with the P5+1, prepared to engage seriously on its nuclear program, and urge Iran to reply to this effect to High Representative Ashton’s letter from October 2011. We reaffirm that our overall goal remains a comprehensive, negotiated solution that restores confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program while respecting Iran’s right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy consistent with its obligations under the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT).
