WASHINGTON (AP) The White House says President Barack Obama is not disappointed that he did not get to meet Iranian President Hasan Rouhani this week.
Press secretary Jay Carney says Obama was and remains open to the possibility of an informal encounter with Iran's new president at a future date.
Carney says the most important issue is whether both countries can make progress toward resolving Iran's nuclear program. He says people should not over interpret the fact that the Iranians decided against some type of meeting Tuesday when both presidents were at the United Nations for a meeting of its General Assembly.
U.S. and Iranian leaders have not met in 36 years.
