White House denies nuclear report
Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
October 20th, 2012
07:46 PM ET

White House denies nuclear report

The White House denied a report Saturday that said the United States and Iran have agreed to one-on-one talks over Iran’s nuclear program.

Such talks, as reported by The New York Times, would be a first.

“It’s not true that the United States and Iran have agreed to one-on-one talks or any meeting after the American elections,” White House National Security Council Spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement.

“The President has made clear that he will prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and we will do what we must to achieve that. It has always been our goal for sanctions to pressure Iran to come in line with its obligations. The onus is on the Iranians to do so, otherwise they will continue to face crippling sanctions and increased pressure."

Citing an anonymous senior official within the Obama administration, The New York Times reported earlier Saturday that Iranian officials insisted the talks not start until after the presidential vote.

Secret discussions between U.S. and Iranian officials date almost to the start of Obama’s term, the newspaper said.

Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and to fill energy shortages, but Western leaders believe Tehran is an aspiring armed nuclear power. U.N. inspectors have also expressed doubts about the program's aims.

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Filed under: Barack Obama • Iran • Middle East • World
soundoff (99 Responses)
  1. charles bowen

    More Republican lies to get the Jewish Vote.....Vote Obama and stop the Republican Liars.......I smell Rove in this, like the little Demon he is..... Charles Bowen Solomon Stone

    October 21, 2012 at 9:18 am | Report abuse |
    • foxfire

      Turd Blossom would never do that.......actually he looks like he is living very well putting on mega pounds. Those cow patties are rich.

      October 21, 2012 at 11:03 am | Report abuse |
  2. jnpa

    "Citing an anonymous senior official within the Obama administration"
    I doubt very seriously that any senior official would have said anything to the New York Times just weeks before the election.

    October 21, 2012 at 9:21 am | Report abuse |
  3. KAKA_Hole

    Looks like GOPhers would do anything at the expense of USA, in order to win an election.

    They block almost every bill Obama proposed.

    NEVER have I seen a more shameful bunch in politics, driven by corporate finance.

    October 21, 2012 at 11:33 am | Report abuse |
  4. Brenda Gates

    Funny cause they are not doing anything about the bomb threat our power plant got here in arizona. . We need what is best for our country.

    October 21, 2012 at 1:57 pm | Report abuse |
  5. EdD

    This administration is just a mess.

    October 21, 2012 at 2:02 pm | Report abuse |
  6. charles bowen

    A vote For Romney is a vote to enslave the Working Man and the end of the middle class in america....Romney will send our jobs to china and destroy what is left of our unions....If they're spending Billions to get Elected do'nt be supprised when they're stealing Trillions from the Government to pad their own nest ....Haliburton and Cheney... Bush and Sadams family after 911, Bush and Big oil.... If you give this seat to Rumney its a licence to steal and boy these Republicans sure know how to Steal... Greed is the only Seed that Grows in the Republicans Garden.....Charles Bowen Solomon Stone

    October 21, 2012 at 10:30 pm | Report abuse |
    • trl

      your opinion

      November 5, 2012 at 12:41 pm | Report abuse |
    • pdenorte

      It's a hot debate current in our nation:

      Democrat: "The moon is made of GREEN cheese and denying it will destroy America!"
      Republican: "The moon is made of BLUE cheese and denying it will destroy America!"

      Perhaps if both sides came to compromise we could make some progress...toward a mutually fallacious and vain effort.

      November 10, 2012 at 7:00 pm | Report abuse |
  7. charles bowen

    Will Rogers
    Ancient Rome declined because it had a Senate; now what's going to happen to us with both a Senate and a House?
    Will Rogers
    Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for.
    Will Rogers
    Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock,

    October 21, 2012 at 10:46 pm | Report abuse |
    • charles bowen

      Will Rogers
      I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat

      October 21, 2012 at 10:52 pm | Report abuse |
    • pdenorte

      "[D]emocracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths."

      James Madison

      November 10, 2012 at 7:04 pm | Report abuse |
  8. allenwoll

    Were IRAN to use a nuclear weapon, it would cease to exist within 48 hours.

    So, what is the problem ? ? ?

    October 30, 2012 at 12:04 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Dick Cheney

    I'm voting for Obama!!! I don't trust Mitt!!!

    November 1, 2012 at 4:28 pm | Report abuse |
  10. henry

    now that OB has the flexibility that he has been talking about, a nuclear deal with Iran is realistically possible.

    November 7, 2012 at 11:15 pm | Report abuse |
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