Merkel threatens to sanction Iran

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday threatened to sanction Iran if Tehran does not change its reaction toward the international community on nuclear issues.

"We have made it clear that if the reaction of Iran does not change, we will cooperate in the preparation of wide-ranging sanctions ... preferably within the framework of a UN Security Council resolution," said Merkel at a joint press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

"We have repeatedly made the offer to Iran for a transparent cooperation. Unfortunately they have not taken it," she said.

Merkel said that in the coming weeks her government would consult with other nations prepared to push for sanctions against Tehran.

Netanyahu also called on the international community to take immediate "crippling sanctions" against Iran.

Germany and Israel held a joint cabinet meeting on Monday in Berlin for the first time, which was considered historic by both countries.

Germany only holds joint cabinet meetings with very few international partners, for example France and Poland. So this meeting underlines the strong ties between Germany and Israel forged in the wake of the Holocaust.

The meeting aims to strengthen the cooperation between the two countries and to exchange ideas on issues like Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

At noon, Netanyahu visited the Holocaust Memorial in the center of Berlin accompanied by Merkel. The first German-Israeli cabinet joint meeting was held in Jerusalem in 2008.

Source: Xinhua