US economic sanctions cannot fix the problem of a nuclear Iran, because countries like Iran or North Korea always find ways around sanctions, Ambassador John Bolton said at the American Enterprise Institute think tank in Washington, DC.
"Economic sanctions cannot solve the problem of a nuclear Iran," Bolton said on Wednesday. "The North Koreans were experts at evading them."
Bolton spoke about similarities in nuclear agreements the United States has made with North Korea and Iran.
The Ambassador explained Iran uses partnerships with other organizations and countries to avoid sanctions such as transporting oil into Iraq, labeling it as Iraqi oil, and transporting it up to the northern Kurdish areas of Iraq into Turkey.
"Countries are engaged in counter trade to avoid the financial side of the sanctions," Bolton said. "I think it's fair to say economic sanctions have caused pain in Iran and what has really caused problems is 35 years of misguided economic policies."
Bolton noted North Korea's case is very similar in that after the UN Security Council- imposed sanctions in 2006, North Korea continued to receive assistance, participate in international financial transactions and work on their ballistic missile and nuclear programs.
"Both American and South Korean commanders predict North Korea's ballistic missile tests are making significant progress, and will eventually be able to mate a nuclear device with a ballistic missile capable of hitting the west coast of the United States," he added.
Bolton concluded that economic sanctions against a rogue state can only work when all allied countries adhere to those sanctions, and when the sanctions are rigorously enforced by use of military power.
John Bolton Served as US Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security from 2001 to 2005.