Obama: Sanctions do not close door on diplomacy

US President Barack Obama said on the Security Council's decision to aggravate the sanctions on Iran, "This resolution will put in place the toughest sanctions ever faced by the Iranian government, and it sends an unmistakable message about the international community’s commitment to stopping the spread of nuclear weapons."

Obama added that "these sanctions do not close the door on diplomacy. Iran continues to have the opportunity to take a different and better path." (Yitzhak Benhorin, Washington)