Diplomatic sources tell The Cable that the Obama administration has recently said it saw signs that the Iranian government plans to issue some sort of response to the West’s offer to engage on its nuclear program. But, diplomats said, the Obama administration anticipates that the response when tested will not prove meaningful, and is likely at most to only stretch for a short time an anticipated effort to start pushing for international sanctions in the coming weeks and months targeting Iran.
The Obama administration has given Iran until September 15 to respond to the talks offer, or face an increased international sanctions effort.
Senior administration officials also confirmed to Western diplomats previous reports that the Obama administration did receive a letter from the Iranian government before its June 12 elections responding to a reported Obama letter offering negotiations. They were excited they had got a response, the diplomat said of the Obama administration, but said the letter itself was pretty disappointing. It did not get into anything of substance and had nothing to build on
