Iran on Front Burner: Livni to China, PM in Russia

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will fly to China Saturday night, two days after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's one-day jaunt to Russia, as Iran becomes an urgent issue. The Foreign Minister will try to persuade China not to veto stricter United Nations Security Council sanctions against Iran until it cooperates on inspection of its nuclear development.



She spoke with American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday concerning the proposed new set of sanctions. China was instrumental in weakening previous sanctions. "I believe that the world understands that it cannot afford a nuclear Iran, an Iran with a nuclear weapon," she said.