US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reiterated the U.S. hard-line policy against concessions to Iran over its nuclear program Thursday and renewed a conditional offer to talks with Tehran. Asked if it is time to change tactics in the world's nuclear standoff with Iran, Rice ruled out the idea of dropping a key precondition.
"I think it's time for Iran to change its tactics," Rice said, according to the AP.
"The international community is united on what Iran should do, which is to suspend; to demonstrate that it is in fact not seeking a nuclear weapon under cover of civilian nuclear power," Rice said.
"I think the question isn't why won't we talk to Tehran. The question is why doesn't Tehran want to talk to us."
"I repeat again that if Iran is prepared to take that course then we are prepared to change 27 years of American policy and sit with Iran to talk about whatever Iran would like to talk about," Rice said.
"But that can't be done when Iran continues to ... try to perfect technologies that are going to lead to a nuclear weapon."
