Updated on
Summary
One day before Iran meets in Geneva with the United States and other powers, the White House said it would consider stronger measures against Iran if it fails to increase transparency over its uranium enrichment program. I think you've heard the president and other leaders and around the world say this is not talk for talk's sake.There is a specific agenda and specific problems that need to be dealt with, and if they are not dealt with responsibly by the Iranians, that stronger measures will be developed and implemented to ensure that they do. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. The one-day talks in Switzerland will bring the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- United States, Britain, France, Russia and China -- together with Germany to meet Iranian officials. Iran said on Tuesday it would not discuss a previously secret nuclear plant at international talks this week but Washington vowed to bring it up and demanded Tehran prove it is not developing an atomic weapon. The world will know, the beginnings of which tomorrow, whether the Iranians are willing to step up to that, whether they are going to continue to do the types of things and hide parts of their program like they have done and then, I think, that will show the world what the intention is. Again the responsibility and the onus tomorrow in virtually every way, is on the Iranians. Gibbs said. Tehran has repeatedly said it will refuse to negotiate over its nuclear program, which it describes as peaceful. Washington severed relations with Tehran in 1980 during a hostage crisis. The administration of former President George W. Bush began to participate in multilateral talks with Iran on issues like its nuclear program, Iraq and Afghanistan toward the end of Bush's presidency.
