But he also made it clear that the sanctions, now nearly a decade old, would not go on indefinitely.
But the four did not say when the additional sanctions could go into effect.
The details of when the sanctions would go into effect and their exact nature are being worked out.
The sanctions never actually went into effect because of an 11th-hour settlement.
"Therefore I think the sanctions are going to be well targeted to get the message across."
Similar offers were rejected before the sanctions went into place.
As economic sanctions go these days, it was relatively small punishment.
"The way you find out if sanctions are going to work is to give them enough time to work."
Time was running short, he said, and if the ministry bureaucrats were not brought under control, the sanctions would go into effect.
Most Administration officials involved in the issue said they believed the sanctions would go into effect before some kind of deal was struck.