Sanctions on Iran: US seeks India's help

In an apparent reference to India, the United States on Friday said it wants emerging powers to cooperate with its effort to galvanise international community in imposing sanctions against Iran through United Nations Security Council.

"We are expecting everyone, particularly, emerging powers to play a significant role in this," the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, P J Crowley, told reporters at his daily news conference.

The US is galvanising international community in imposing sanctions on Iran through the UN Security Council. He was responding to question about the latest Indian move to resume its negotiations with Iran for the multi-billion dollar Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.

Tehran and Islamabad inked an agreement in this regard two weeks ago.

Noting that the US is in discussion with P5 plus One countries on this issue, Crowley said the US expects, 'depending on not only what's in that resolution but other steps that countries will take going forward. The international community as a whole has to be united behind this effort, and has to enforce whatever sanctions are put in place. There are, you know, existing sanctions already in place,' he said.

"We have expressed our concerns to a number of countries that have ongoing economic relations with Iran that now may not be the best time to pursue such (relationship," Crowley said in response to a question.

Observing that the US does not think in 'zero-sum terms' when talking about developments in the region, Crowley said the Obama administration does recognises that ultimately the growth of legitimate trade that more fully integrates countries like Pakistan, countries like Afghanistan, others, into a regional or global trading system.

"We have a broad-based dialogue with both India and Pakistan. Part of the dialogue in each country is to understand and help, with the respective and legitimate energy needs that countries in the region have," Crowley said.