U.S. tells Iran to come clean on nukes

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- If Iran is serious about wanting to talk with other countries, it must be completely open about its nuclear program, a U.S. State Department official said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi proposed Turkey as a host for talks Iran might have with nuclear powers. Any reluctance to do so, he said, would indicate they aren't serious about resolving issues surrounding Iran's nuclear program, Iran's state-funded broadcaster Press TV reports.

Tehran said it would consider negotiations provided there were no preconditions. Many countries claim Iran is working on the technology needed to develop a nuclear weapon, though Tehran insists its nuclear intentions are peaceful.

Victoria Nuland, a spokeswoman for the State Department said Washington "worked hard" to create "opportunities" for Iran to provide transparency about its nuclear program. If Tehran is serious about having a conversation, she said, the government needs to talk openly.

"We've seen a lot of public statements from Iran that they are interested but we have not seen the kind of official communication that we need to see that demonstrates serious intent," she said.

European foreign ministers are expected to weigh additional sanctions on Iran during meetings next week in Brussels.