国际英语新闻：Door still open to Iran for engagement: U.S. official

WASHINGTON, June 8 (Xinhua) -- While seeking for a new round of sanctions against Iran, the United States said on Tuesday that "the door is still open" to Tehran to meet its obligations under UN resolutions and to engage with the international community.

"We have two tracks. We have a diplomacy track and we have not ever closed the door to further international engagement," said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley, adding that the door is still open to "any step beyond the sanctions vote."

On Wednesday, the UN Security Council will vote on a draft resolution, which is jointly sponsored by the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany, on imposing the fourth round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

"We hope that that will be a strong, compelling, direct international message to Iran that it has to change course." According to Crowley, Iran "is not the victim" of the sanctions because it has failed to come forward and meet its international obligations.

"What we are saying is that failure has consequences," Crowley added.

"If Iran, after the sanctions vote tomorrow, is willing to come forward and answer the international community's question, engage within the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), that would be a welcome step," said the spokesman.

The draft resolution, which has been given to the full 15- member UN Security Council on May 18, needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes from the five permanent members for being adopted.

Turkey and Brazil, the two non-permanent members of the Security Council, have said they would be reluctant to vote in favor of new sanctions after a new nuclear fuel swap deal has been brokered with Iran.

The United States, Israel and other Western countries worry that Tehran may obtain the uranium fuel needed for nuclear weapons by the same process to purify uranium. The Iranian government insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purpose.