State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf addressed criticism of the Obama administration for a slowing in movement toward new sanctions of Iran at Thursday's briefing, returning to the talking point of how "complicated" it is to let diplomacy take its course.
"In general, we need to create a climate where diplomacy has the opportunity to work, has the best chance of working," she said. "Because let's all be clear about how difficult this is. This is not an easy process. It's very complicated. So we need to set the conditions and we need to set the stage, and we need to do everything we can to give us the best chance to succeed diplomatically."
The reporter pressed her, asking if the administration feels that harsh multilateral and unilateral sanctions have brought Iran to the negotiating table, why there should be a need to back off new ones.
"We're having those discussions right now," Harf said. "I don't think anyone has ruled out supporting additional sanctions."
Full transcript of the exchange:
Q: And then one other thing -- she was explicit in telling the senators that the administration thinks it would be helpful if they held off on additional sanctions over the next -- less than two weeks now, and as I'm sure you noted, Chairman Menendez, in his opening statement, said some of us are working on new sanctions that would lead to further reductions in purchases of Iranian petroleum. And the administration is now being criticized by a number of Republicans for suggesting a slowdown in movement towards new sanctions, including Chairman Royce, Senator Kirk.
Why is it when you yourselves believe, as you just said, that the only reason your audience are at the negotiating table is the sanctions, why is it necessary or why is it advisable for the Senate to slow its movement on additional sanctions?
HARF: Well, I think a couple points, that right now today we have such a crippling set of multilateral and unilateral sanctions in place on the Iranian government. We've all seen the impact that it's had on the Iranian economy. So right now we feel like we're putting a great deal of pressure on them.
But we have to do things, broadly speaking, in this moment that we have an opportunity for diplomacy to work to make that diplomacy work. And I'm not going to go into every detail about what sanctions we might like and what sanctions we might not think are as useful right now. But in general, we need to create a climate where diplomacy has the opportunity to work, has the best chance of working. Because let's all be clear about how difficult this is. This is not an easy process. It's very complicated. So we need to set the conditions and we need to set the stage, and we need to do everything we can to give us the best chance to succeed diplomatically, because that's everyone's goal, that we resolve this crisis diplomatically, and so we have to give ourselves a chance to do that.
Q: But it sanctions brought onto the table, why wouldn't more sanctions make them even more eager to rein in their nuclear program and thereby get relief from the sanctions?
HARF: Well, we'll keep talking to Congress about when and if and what those new sanctions might look like. We're having those discussions right now. I don't think anyone has ruled out supporting additional sanctions. I think that the undersecretary was making a comment about the situation we see today and the climate we need to have going into Geneva.