France: Too early to talk about sanctions against Iran

    PARIS, Jan. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- France and Germany considered it is "premature" to talk about sanctions against Iran before proceeding with discussion with other countries, the two countries' Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

    "The question of sanctions is premature," said Jean-Baptiste Mattei, spokesman for the France's Foreign Ministry, while his Germany counterpart Martin Jaeger told reporters in Paris, "We believe that is premature at the moment."

    They believed that it was necessary to act "step by step" after the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Britain met in Berlin in response to Iran's recent resumption of nuclear research. The EU trio called for an extraordinary meeting of the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to refer Iran to the UN Security Council.

    Iran on Tuesday removed IAEA seals on uranium enrichment equipment at its nuclear plant in Natanz and two related storage and testing sites, and resumed the fuel research activities.

    The United States has long accused Iran of running a covert nuclear arms program. Iran, however, says its nuclear work is designed merely to meet its energy needs and insists on the right to develop a full nuclear fuel cycle. Enditem