(Ha'aretz) Barak Ravid - In his meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Obama on Monday presented the American assessment that Iran is more serious than before about finding a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue, and is not just playing for time, a senior U.S. official told Ha'aretz. "We didn't feel the Iranians were serious in the past, and now it is clear to us that they are serious about examining whether we can reach an agreement," said the official. "The Iranians are the ones who are now saying we cannot waste time." The White House believes the main reason for the change in the Iranian approach is the collapse of the country's economy, stemming from international sanctions. "Netanyahu did not object to the holding of direct negotiations between the United States and Iran, during his talk with Obama, but asked in general that the Western powers not ease up the pressure on Iran before the regime in Tehran takes significant actions to halt its nuclear program," said the official.
2013-10-02 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive