Group of Eight leaders meeting in Italy say they deplore the deadly post-election violence in Iran and they call the arrests of journalists unacceptable.
U.S. officials say the G8 leaders issued a strong and significant statement on Iran following a working dinner Wednesday night.
The officials say the leaders are losing patience with Iran’s refusal to meet its international obligations to give up its suspected nuclear weapons program
The leaders did not threaten any new sanctions Wednesday. French President Nicloas Sarkozy said all eight agreed to give negotiations with Iran a chance until September, when another major summit convenes.
The G8 statement also demands Iran let foreign embassy employees work unhindered and it condemns Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s denial of the Holocaust.
The G8 statement also condemns North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and its missile tests. The leaders also gave their backing to Pakistan’s fight against terrorism
