Toronto, Apr 10 (IANS): Joining other major nations to force Iran to back down on its nuclear ambitions, Canada Friday supported further sanctions on Tehran. Ottawa said Tehran's claim to soon unveil faster uranium enrichment capabilities was a threat to world security.

"The claim that Iran is advancing its enrichment technology is a clear example that the regime is further testing the patience of the international community,'' said Foreign Minister Cannon Lawrence.

Slamming Iran for ignoring its international obligations, Lawrence said the current regime in Tehran was a serious threat to "global security.''

He demanded that "the Iranian regime must address the serious lack of confidence that members of the international community have in its nuclear programme.

"The military links to Iran's nuclear programme remain completely unresolved, and Iran has made no attempt to live up to the minimum standard of compliance.''

Supporting further UN sanctions against Tehran, the minister said, "Canada will work with its allies to encourage effective responses to the threat that Iran poses to international peace and security.''

Expressing solidarity with pro-democracy forces in Iran, he said, "Canada continues to express its serious concerns over the Iranian regime's continued suppression of the Iranian democracy movement, the regime's blatant disregard of basic human rights, and its use of brute force against the people of Iran.

"While we are deeply concerned with the actions of the regime, the people of Iran must know that we stand with them in their struggle.''