Meanwhile, the White House hoped that the Iranian regime

will make the strategic decision to come to the P5-plus-1 talks on February 26th in Kazakhstan prepared to discuss substance, so that there can be progress in addressing the international community's concerns about the nature of the Iranian nuclear program. "The United States certainly remains ready to do so," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters in a press gaggle. Earnest said the US is well aware of Iran's aggressive efforts in violation of its UN Security Council Resolution obligation to obtain sensitive materials for its uranium-enrichment program. "The unprecedented international sanctions put in place against Iran are not only designed to crystallize the choice for the Iranian regime regarding its nuclear program, but also to deter and disrupt Iranian procurement of components to support its nuclear program," he said. "The international restrictions have choked the supply of critical components for Iran's nuclear program so that Iran today falls far short of the goals it set for itself and its nuclear programme only a few years ago," Earnest said.