Gates says more sanctions on Iran likely

KIRKUK, Iraq, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Iran likely will be slapped with tougher sanctions because it still is shielding its nuclear program from inspectors, U.S. Defense chief Robert Gates said.

Gates said Friday he thought "significant additional sanctions" would be imposed by the United States and its allies against Iran because the republic hasn't followed through on its pledge to open up its nuclear activities to international inspection, The New York Times reported.

Gates spoke about Iran during a question-and-answer session with U.S. troops in Kirkuk, Iraq. After his visit, Gates headed for Irbil, capital of Kurdistan, for discussions with the semi-autonomous region's president, Massoud Barzani.

Iran has until the end of this year to show it is moving toward working with the West to curb its nuclear ambition, under a deadline imposed by U.S. President Barack Obama. In October, U.S. officials expressed cautious optimism about progress with Iran when Iranian officials agreed in talks with the United States and other countries to open a recently revealed uranium enrichment plant to international inspectors. Iran also agreed to send most of its openly declared enriched uranium outside the country for further processing. Iran since then has added conditions to its tentative pact.

A Pentagon spokesman said Gates would urge Barzani to settle differences with the government in Baghdad on issues such as oil rights so a unified central government can be achieved.

"This is perhaps the most worrisome issue here in Iraq as far as we're concerned," Gates told the troops in Kirkuk. "I think there is no question that the Kurds see their future as part of a unified Iraq, and what's at issue is the terms at which that goes forward."