Obama Says Patience is Less Virtuous as World Awaits Iranian Nuke Decision

President Obama told Iran Sunday that the international community will not wait in perpetuity for the regime respond to a UN offer over its nuclear program. "We are now running out of time with respect to that approach," he said, sitting alongside Russian President Dmitri Medvedev.

As Iran's cooperation over its nuclear program seems to be slipping away, the US and Russia's cooperation over the matter appears to be growing more tightly-knit.

Mr. Obama and the Russian leader met on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Singapore. Medvedev told reporters, "In case we fail, the other options remain on the table in order to move the process in a different direction."

The options Medvedev was referring to amount to UN threats of additional sanctions. Iran has yet to make a decision on a United Nations proposal that would have Iran ship its nuclear material to other countries, where it would be turned into fuel for a medical research reactor in Tehran.

But Mr. Obama pressed, "We have to continue to maintain urgency and our previous discussions, confirming the need for a dual track approach, are still the right approach to take. We will begin to discuss and prepare for these other pathways."

Iran is currently living under three sets of sanctions and although Medvedev has stated he supports even more, he didn't reiterate that sentiment explicitly today. Russia's partnership in this matter is vital, since it holds a position as a permanent member of the security council.