"Iran is the only party to the NPT [the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty] that cannot demonstrate the peaceful intentions of its nuclear program, and those actions have consequences," President Obama noted at the UN General Assembly according to a Voice of America report.

In his speech to the General Assembly, President Obama noted that when he reached out to Iranian leaders last year to try to persuade them to engage diplomatically on the issues involving Iran's nuclear program, he underscored the fact that as a member of the international community, Iran has both rights and responsibilities.

"I also said – in this hall – that Iran must be held accountable if it failed to meet those responsibilities. That is what we have done. Iran is the only party to the NPT [the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty] that cannot demonstrate the peaceful intentions of its nuclear program, and those actions have consequences."

In June, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1929, imposing a fourth round of economic sanctions on Iran, demonstrating, the President said, "that international law is not an empty promise." Those sanctions have since been followed by the European Union, Australia, Canada, Japan, Norway and South Korea.

President Obama made clear that the international community seeks to resolve its differences with Iran diplomatically. These efforts are important to the global nonproliferation regime and to the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons.

Read more in Voice of America.