Netanyahu urges Obama to maintain sanctions against Iran

WASHINGTON – Despite soothing assurances from Iran's new leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu implored President Obama on Monday to keep punishing sanctions in place against Tehran — and even tighten them if the Islamic republic advances its nuclear programs while negotiating with the United States.

Netanyahu nevertheless signaled he would not block Obama's efforts to seek a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear impasse, even as he expressed skepticism about the Iranian government

"If diplomacy is to work, those pressures must be kept in place," Netanyahu said of the sanctions during an Oval Office meeting with Obama.

The two men met three days after Obama's historic phone call with Iranian President Hassan Rowhani, which marked the first direct conversation between a U.S. and Iranian leader in more than 30 years. While the election of Rowhani, a more moderate-sounding cleric, has been viewed optimistically by the Obama administration, Netanyahu has dismissed the new Iranian leader's outreach as a "smiley campaign" aimed at buying Tehran more time to pursue a bomb.

Obama, who has long called for a negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear dispute, said it was important to test the possible diplomatic opening. But he insisted that U.S. officials were "clear-eyed" as they enter talks with the Iranians.

"As I've said before and I will repeat, that we take no options off the table, including military options," Obama said.

The president did not offer Netanyahu any public assurances about the future of the American sanctions, which have resulted in skyrocketing inflation and unemployment in Iran. But he credited the penalties with pushing Rowhani to seek a nuclear deal in exchange for economic relief.

Ahead of his visit to the United States, Netanyahu made a series of derisive remarks about Rowhani's efforts to woo Obama and vowed to "tell the truth in the face of the sweet talk."

But the Israeli leader was publicly more subdued while sitting side-by-side with Obama at the White House. He thanked the U.S. president for his efforts to curb the Iranian nuclear program and for calling on Rowhani to back up his words with actions. And in a possible sign of moderation, Netanyahu repeatedly said Iran must give up its "military" nuclear program, raising the possibility that Israel might be open to tolerating limited nuclear activities by Iran.

In the past, Netanyahu has said that Iran must halt all enrichment of uranium, a process that can have both military and civilian uses.