Points for US to ponder on Iran's nuclear issue

The new year has seen a flurry of US diplomatic activities aimed at imposing new sanctions on Iran for what Teheran says is its civilian nuclear program.

Last year, the US administration had said Iran could send its low-enriched uranium to Russia where it would be enriched and sent back to Teheran for civilian use. The Barack Obama administration is talking about tougher sanctions now because Iran let that offer expire in December.

Imposing new sanctions on Iran, however, seems unnecessary. It would be a hasty decision, too. For one, Iran has not closed the door on negotiations yet. It has announced its conditions, though, saying it is willing to buy civilian-purpose nuclear fuel from other countries, or exchange its uranium stock for fuel with Turkey.