Washington - Iran will be presented with a stark choice of either abandoning its nuclear ambitions or facing increased international isolation when it meets with the world's major powers, the US State Department said Monday. The US reaction came after it was announced that Iran will meet on October 1 with officials from the five UN Security Council members - the US, China, Russia, Britain and France - plus Germany to discuss its disputed nuclear programme.
The meeting will be the first between Iranian officials and the six countries since July 2008. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the nuclear issue would be "front-and-center" in the talks, despite Iran's insistence that it considers the matter closed.
"We plan to address this issue of (Iran) not living up to their obligation head on," Kelly told reporters in Washington.
The US delegation will be led by William Burns, State Department undersecretary for political affairs.
"We hope that the six (countries) can really lay out in a very stark fashion the choices (Iranian authorities) have, and we are going to take this opportunity to do that," Kelly said. "We are united in this common goal of getting the Iranians to introduce more transparency into their nuclear programme."
US Energy Secretary Steven Chu earlier welcomed Iran's agreement to talk but said the US was keeping open the option of introducing more sanctions against Iran. The UN Security Council has already imposed three rounds of sanctions aimed at convincing Tehran to halt its uranium-enrichment programme.
The West believes Iran has designs on a nuclear weapons capability. Tehran insists it only plans to develop civilian nuclear energy.
President Barack Obama has said he wants to see progress with Iran on the nuclear issue by the end of autumn but has not been specific about what will happen if there is no significant movement.
Kelly said the US was realistic about what to expect from the talks. He said the offer of engagement was not open-ended, but he would not discuss future sanctions or other consequences.
"Our patience is not infinite," he said. "We are not willing to let this go on forever."
