NEW YORK (AP) — The Obama administration is planning to push for new sanctions against Iran, targeting its energy, financial and telecommunications sectors, if it does not comply with international demands to come clean about its nuclear program, according to U.S. officials.
The officials said the U.S. would expand its own penalties against Iranian companies and press for greater international sanctions against foreign firms, largely European, that do business in the country unless Iran can prove that its nuclear activities are not aimed at developing an atomic weapon.
The prospects for pursuing tougher sanctions against Iran are expected to become clearer on Thursday, when an Iranian delegation is scheduled to meet in Geneva with representatives of the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.
That session is not likely to be a make-or-break moment, but a U.S. official said Tuesday that Iran will be expected to make clear in Geneva whether it is serious about cooperating on the nuclear issue.
The American delegation, to be led by William Burns, the under secretary of state for political affairs, envisions a one-day meeting. But officials don’t rule out a follow-up session later this fall, according to an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal deliberations.
Among the sanction ideas being considered are asset freezes and travel bans against Iranian and foreign businesses and individuals who do business in those areas, the officials said. The officials spoke Monday on condition of anonymity because the measures were still under review.
The proposed sanctions would largely focus on investment in Iran’s energy infrastructure and development, the officials said. Until now, the sanctions have dealt mainly with companies and people suspected of buying or selling weapons of mass destruction or their components.
One important consideration is whether Russian and China, who have veto power as permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, would go along with new sanctions.
Kurt Campbell, the State Department’s top Asia policy official, said Monday that Chinese officials had discussed the matter with U.S. officials at last week’s G-20 summit meeting in Pittsburgh. He said the Chinese asked for further details on what the U.S. knows about Iran’s nuclear program and what role the U.S. thinks China can play.
“China has broad and diverse interests, like any great power,” Campbell said. “And it faces now a situation in which it has several powers on its border that face specific challenges,” including North Korea’s nuclear activities, nuclear-armed Pakistan’s insurgency, “and now a series of challenges near its territory from Iran. It’s very important for China that this issue be resolved peacefully, but also that it be resolved.”
U.S. officials familiar with the process that dates back to the Bush administration are skeptical that Iran will agree to demands to fully disclose its intentions. Iran repeatedly has denied it wants the bomb and insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
Previous meetings with Iran — the last in July 2008 — have not made progress and the officials said they did not think Thursday’s talks in Geneva would produce any significant developments on the nuclear front.
Instead, the officials said they expected Iran to raise a broad range of global political concerns while the other participants focused on Iran’s nuclear program, including the disclosure last week of a new uranium enrichment facility.
These officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the talks, said they believed another round of talks would be scheduled before mid-November, at which Iran would face demands to address the international community’s concerns.
If they refuse, the officials said the U.S. and its partners would move ahead with new penalties.
 
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