Washington: Iran is a major obstacle to the US vision of a Middle East in which nations will "trade more, invest more, talk more and work more constructively to solve problems," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says. "The Iranian government is pursuing policies which are detrimental to the long-term interests of its neighbours, of the region, and of the Iranian people themselves. It need not be this way," Rice said in remarks prepared for delivery today to a panel in the House of Representatives. The Associated Press obtained a copy of her testimony. Rice's testimony, before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, comes amid increased frustration by Republicans and Democrats alike that the Bush administration is not doing enough to deter Iran's nuclear activities, which they fear are aimed at developing weapons.
Iran says its programme is only for power generation and other peaceful purposes. Last month, the House passed, by a 397-16 vote, legislation aimed at blocking foreign investment in Iran, in particular its lucrative energy sector. The bill, sponsored by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos, a Democrat from California, would specifically bar the president from waiving US sanctions. Rice said the administration shares Congress goal of making sanctions tougher on Iran, but urged caution. "We simply want to be certain that our collective efforts do not undermine our multilateral strategy, where we will have a maximum chance of success," she said. President George W Bush says a US-linked missile defence system is urgently needed in Europe to protect against a potential Iranian strike.
