By David Martosko, U.s. Political Editor PUBLISHED: 09:56 EST, 24 September 2013 | UPDATED: 02:19 EST, 25 September 2013 A White House official said Tuesday that while it would welcome 'an encounter' between President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in New York, Iranian officials have turned them down. Obama told the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday that the United States is primarily focusing its diplomatic efforts on Iran's nuclear program and the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The U.S., he said, will support Iran's use of nuclear energy, and will attempt to negotiate directly with Rouhani. 'Americans see an Iranian government that has declared the United States an enemy,' he said, 'and directly – or through proxies – taken Americans hostage, killed U.S. troops and civilians, and threatened our ally Israel with destruction.'
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Obama has told Secretary of State John Kerry to talk directly with Iran's diplomats for the first time
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A new attitude toward Iran emerged, with Obama saying the U.S. respects Iran's right to 'peaceful' nuclear power
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The UN Security Council, the president told the diplomats, must back its demands of Syria's Bashar al-Assad with the credible threat of force
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'I believe America is exceptional,' he insisted, in direct rebuttal to Russia's Vladimir Putin
hold @placeholder President Bashar al-Assad responsible for an August 21