The top U.S. commander in the Middle East says the current sanctions and diplomatic efforts to stop Iran from gaining nuclear capabilities are not working.

General James Mattis, head of U.S. Central Command, said Tehran has a history of denial and deceit and is enriching uranium beyond any plausible peaceful purpose.

Mattis was speaking March 5 in Washington in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said during talks with his Israeli counterpart Ehud Barak that Washington was committed to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The head of the UN nuclear agency said on March 4 that he can’t guarantee that Iran’s nuclear activities are peaceful unless Tehran is more cooperative and inspectors are allowed access to sites where they believe work on weapons development may be taking place.

Iran denies Western charges it is secretly developing nuclear weapons.

Based on AP and Reuters reporting

By RFE/RL