US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is to ask Saudi Arabia to reassure China that it will meet any oil shortfalls, should the UN impose further sanctions on Iran, aides say.
Clinton is reportedly set to press the Saudis to help out in persuading China to take a tougher stand against Iran, amid allegations about the country’s nuclear ambitions.
Speaking at a conference in Qatar, Clinton said Iran was leaving the international community little choice but to impose further sanctions and urged the country to reconsider its “dangerous policy decisions”.
The US and its allies have raised fears that Iran is attempting to develop a nuclear weapon, although Iran has insisted that its nuclear programme is peaceful.
China is against more sanctions being imposed on Iran, possibly due to fears of a major loss in revenue from investments the country ha s in Iran. The Middle Eastern country currently supplies China with 400,000 barrels a day of oil.
