White House holds firm on Iran

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, March 7 (UPI) -- The United States demands Iran provide verifiable assurances it is not pursuing a nuclear weapon, the White House said Wednesday.

Spokesman Jay Carney told reporters traveling aboard Air Force One Iran's decision to resume talks "has not by any means satisfied" Iran's international obligations and only by satisfying those obligations and assuring in a verifiable way that it is not pursuing nuclear weapons, will Iran be allowed to rejoin the international community and get some relief from sanctions.

"We are very clear-eyed about the way that Iran has approached negotiations in the past, and we will not relent in our efforts through sanctions and other measures to isolate and pressure Iran," Carney said en route to Mount Holly, N.C., where President Obama visited a Daimler Trucks manufacturing plant to deliver remarks on American energy.

"Actions are what matters -- actions are what matter here, and we will judge Iran by its actions," Carney said.