The interim agreement reached between the P5+1 and Iran on 24 November was a very welcome first step, and I am hopeful that it may act as a springboard to the achievement of a final agreement to resolve this dispute during 2014.
The active and positive engagement and leading role of the United States played a crucial part in achieving this interim agreement. The US Administration remains fully committed, as do all the other concerned parties, to implementation of the interim agreement as a prelude to further negotiations aimed at achieving a comprehensive agreement.
I do not believe it is helpful to the current process to engage in supposition regarding any party failing to follow through on the 24 November interim agreement. I agree that the enactment of further sanctions on Iran at this moment, even if suspended, would not be helpful to the process.