Iran must cooperate or face tough sanctions-Sarkozy

BERLIN, May 23 (Reuters) Iran must decide whether it wants to cooperate with the international community over its nuclear programme or face harsher sanctions, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was quoted as saying today.

In his first detailed public comments on the West's nuclear standoff with the Islamic republic since taking office, Sarkozy said the concept of a nuclear-armed Iran was ''unacceptable''.

''I for my part think one should not hesitate to toughen the sanctions,'' Sarkozy said in an interview published in the German monthly magazine Cicero.

The comments were published in German and were part of an interview conducted by what Cicero says is its exclusive partner in France, the French magazine Politique Internationale.

Iran, the world's No 4 oil exporter, says it wants only an alternative source of power generation with its civilian nuclear energy programme. But the West suspects Iran is using it as a facade for mastering the means to make atomic bombs.

''This would free the way for an arms race in the region and would directly threaten Israel and southeastern Europe,'' he said.

''Tehran must decide between coooperation with the international community or harsher sanctions.'' France and five other major powers -- the United States, Germany, Britain, Russia and China -- stand behind UN Security Council resolutions demanding Iran suspend all nuclear fuel work in exchange for negotiations on trade incentives, with the threat of escalating sanctions if Tehran keeps refusing.

Sarkozy said that if Iran proved willing to cooperate, the international community must be prepared to fulfill its obligations to the Iranians, including regarding Tehran's right to a peaceful nuclear energy programme.

REUTERS RJ KN1612