Iranian nukes

WASHINGTON, March 31 (UPI) -- The presidents of France and the United States are calling for tighter sanctions on Iran related to Tehran's nuclear program.

Many Western countries said they believe Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapons capability but Tehran denies that, saying the program is solely for peaceful purposes.

But an expansion of the program and loftier targets for refining uranium along with periodic exposures of secret aspects of the program suggest the Iranians haven't been completely open about their nuclear dealings.

U.S. President Barack Obama, admitting he doesn't have support from the entire international community, says he wants tougher sanctions on Iran to stop any weapons development.

"Iran cannot continue its made race (in building nuclear weapons," said French President Nicolas Sarkozy, appearing with Obama Tuesday. "The time has come to take decisions."

Obama said he wants the new set of sanctions in place in "weeks." That goal is problematic since U.N. Security Council members China and Russia aren't in support of additional pressure on Iran.

It is not known if Obama is just running out of patience in waiting for Iran to open up about its nuclear program or if the latest push stems from information U.S. intelligence officials gleaned from an Iranian scientist who defected to the United States.

ABC News reported Tuesday that Shahram Amiri, whom Iran said disappeared last June, has been settled in the United States by the CIA. Amiri is said to have some knowledge of the Iranian nuclear program. The U.S. spy agency refused to comment on the report.