White House mum on Iran nuke intelligence

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, Colo., Aug. 9 (UPI) —

A White House spokesman refused to comment Thursday on reports President Obama has gotten new intelligence on progress in Iran’s nuclear program.

Reports in Haaretz and other outlets said Obama had received a National Intelligence Estimate that Iran has made significant progress toward creating nuclear weapons.

White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters on Air Force One he would not address "intelligence matters or intelligence … the president may or may not have received." Obama was on the campaign trail Thursday in Colorado and Virginia.

Carney said Obama remains committed to stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and was leading an international effort to impose what the Iranian president has said are "the most stringent" sanctions imposed on any country.

Carney said the United States remains committed to using a diplomatic window of opportunity to get the Iranians to change course. He would not address Israeli reports on a purported intelligence assessment.

As Iran holds talks with some non-Western nations on the situation in Syria, Tehran had not played a constructive role at all in easing the situation in Syria, Carney said.

"In fact quite the contrary. There is vast evidence that demonstrates that Iran has been engaged in an effort to prop up [Syrian President Bashar] Assad as he brutally murders his own people," Carney said.