Post date: Nov 19, 2013 8:23:22 PM
The White House says Iran would make progress toward building a nuclear weapon if there is no diplomatic deal to halt or roll back its nuclear program, and urges Congress to hold off on tightening sanctions against Teheran while talks continue.
WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 19, 2013) (NBC) - President Barack Obama warned lawmakers on Tuesday (November 19) that Iran would make progress in its ability to build a nuclear weapon if there is no diplomatic deal to halt or roll back its nuclear program and urged Congress to hold off on tightening sanctions against Teheran while talks continue.
"The president underscored that in the absence of a first step, Iran will continue to make progress on its nuclear program by increasing its enrichment capacity, continuing to grow its stockpile of enriched uranium, installing advanced centrifuges, and making progress on the plutonium track," White House spokesmanJay Carney told reporters at a briefing.The United States and five other nations are negotiating a proposal that would ease economic sanctions imposed on Iran if it suspends some parts of a program that many countries, particularly in the West, fear is aimed at developing a nuclear weapons capability.
As diplomats headed to Geneva for a third round of talks this week, members ofCongress have been debating behind closed doors whether to go ahead with the new set of stricter economic sanctions on Iran relating to its nuclear program.
Obama met with senators from both parties on Tuesday to try to convince them hold off on more sanctions to allow time to pursue a diplomatic deal.
"I think all of us are concerned. We know who we are dealing with and, you know, we watched this same type of activity occur in North Korea, where you begin to alleviate sanctions, and I think the concern is that whatever you do on the interim basis becomes the new norm, that in fact, that is, in fact, the deal, and there's a great concern about that," Senator Bob Corker, a Republican from Tennessee, said after the meeting.
Iran has denied that it wants to develop atomic weapons capability, saying its nuclear program is limited to the peaceful generation of electricity and other civilian uses.