White House to Iran: Let's see some action on your nuke program before we hold talks

“We’ll continue to test what the best way of engaging the Iranian government is,” Rhodes said. “We’re going to make judgments based on the actions of the Iranian government, not just their words. There’s not an open-ended window for diplomacy — we need to be moving forward with a sense of urgency. We do believe, though, that there is time and space to pursue diplomacy.”…

The White House on Friday agreed with Israel that Iran would have to back its recent rhetoric with tangible evidence of any nuclear about-face. Obama, who recently sent a letter to Rouhani congratulating him on his election in June, is open to a new diplomatic track, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week criticized Tehran’s recent overtures as a ploy meant to buy time while Iran inches closer to having a nuclear weapon…

“There is no need to be fooled by the words,” Israel responded in a statement issued by Netanyahu’s office Thursday. “The test is not in what Rouhani says, but in the deeds of the Iranian regime, which continues to advance its nuclear program with vigor while Rouhani is being interviewed.”