US Prez retains all options on Iran's nuke prog: White House

The US has said that it retains all options, including the military one, to prevent Iran from acquiring the nuclear weapons, even as Tehran and P5+1 signed a deal to curtail the Iranian atomic programme.
"The President retains all options, including military options, to fulfill his policy goal. But it is absolutely preferable to him, to the American people, and to all those who demand that Iran forsake nuclear weapons that this be resolved peacefully," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said yesterday.
Iran and the P5+1 group - the US, UK, Russia, China, and France plus Germany - sealed a six-month Joint Plan of Action in November last year. Under the plan, Iran agreed to curb parts of its nuclear programme for six months in exchange for modest relief from international sanctions.

Iran announced to implement the nuclear deal with the terms starting from January 20.
"When it comes to the need to implement the Joint Plan of Action and engage in negotiations through the P5-plus-1 with the Iranians, it is absolutely the right thing to do to test whether or not we can resolve the challenge posed by Iran's nuclear programme peacefully," he said.
Through the P5+1 and the agreements that have been negotiated, and the process moving forward, the US with its international partners is addressing the important challenge of ensuring that Iran does not develop and obtain a nuclear weapon.

"There are a host of vital national security interests at stake here, as well as the national security interests of our allies and friends," Carney said.

"Even as we pursue that and do it in a way that demands transparency and verifiability from the Iranians, we do not let up in our views and our positions when it comes to other activities, including the support of terrorist organisations that Iran engages in," he said.
Carney expressed concerns over reports about the oil-for-goods deal that Iran and Russia may be engaged in.
"We have been very clear that we're concerned about that. When we saw those reports, press reports, it was immediately raised at the highest levels by Secretary (of State John) Kerry with (Russian) Foreign Minister Lavrov," he said.

"I can tell you that if that deal moves forward it would raise serious concerns as it would be inconsistent with the terms of the P5-plus-1 agreement with Iran and could potentially trigger US sanctions against the entities and individuals involved in any such transactions," he said.