国际英语新闻：France to seek strong sanction against Iran: PM

PARIS, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- French Prime Minister Francois Fillon announced Wednesday that France is going to seek "strong sanctions " from the United Nations against Iran's nuclear program as negotiation time is "pressing."

Fillon accused Iran of ignoring the international offer of dialogue but reacting the wrong way instead, insisting it's time to take further action.

"We are going to propose UN to adopt a new resolution containing strong sanctions and the European Union will also take its responsibilities," Fillon said at a working diner with hundreds of party members.

"It is not too late to stop Iran from acquiring military nuclear capacity through political ways, but the time is pressing, " Fillon added.

Early in the day, Iran has reportedly successfully launched a rocket with an "experimental capsule" atop into space. That followed by Iranian officials' announcement that Iran has plans to put a "series of satellites" into space by 2010 to aid natural disaster management programs and improve telecommunications.

The French foreign ministry expressed great concern on Iran's new launch, saying the movement "can only intensify the concerns of the international community" as it is trying to "develop nuclear program in parallel."