Context
The US put pressure on Russia and China to back it over sanctions against Iran in the UN Security Council. President Barack Obama presented the report from the UN atomic agency to his Russian and Chinese counterparts, Dmitry Medvedev and Hu Jintao on the sidelines of a Pacific Rim Economic summit.
The report suggests that Iran is working to develop nuclear arms. Obama in a press conference with Medvedev and Jintao said that the three countries wanted Iran to abide by “international rules and norms.” However the statements stopped short of giving any real indication whether Russia and China would back the US in adopting a tougher stance against Tehran.
Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes however insisted that the US had Russia and China’s support. EU countries including Germany also voiced their support for sanctions against Iran.
