Obama vows to raise pressure on Iran

PRESIDENT Barack Obama vowed yesterday the United States will increase pressure on Iran in a unified global stand, as Tehran said it had persuaded Beijing sanctions were no longer necessary.

Hours after urging Chinese President Hu Jintao to join forces to ensure Iran reins in its nuclear programme, Obama put the Islamic regime on notice that a drive for fresh UN sanctions was gathering pace.

“I have said before that we don’t take any options off the table, and we’re going to continue to ratchet up the pressure and examine how they respond,” he said.