Rice: Iran can choose to give up nukes

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Friday said Iran has "an easy road ahead" if its leaders give up their nuclear ambitions.

In an interview with NBC's "Good Morning America," Rice also said that she believes Russian President Vladimir Putin shares the U.S. goal of an Iran without nuclear weapons. Putin visited Tehran earlier this month and said he does not believe that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

"Now the issue is we may have some tactical differences about timing, about how severe sanctions should be," Rice said.

"But the Russians have no desire to have a nuclear-armed Iran in their neighborhood because after all, Moscow is a lot closer to Iran than the United States."

The United States and other nations have offered Iran help with peaceful nuclear power if they give up on uranium enrichment, Rice said.

"There is an easy road ahead for Iran if it wishes to take it, but if it won't take it then there are going to be consequences," she said.