"Most nations recognise the threat of Iran having a nuclear weapon in the middle of the Middle East. And there's common consensus that we need to work together to prevent the Iranian regime from developing that nuclear weapons program," Bush told reporters at the White House on Friday.

Asked whether he was willing to meet the radical Iranian President, Bush said, "No, I'm not going to meet with him. I have made it clear to the Iranian regime that we will sit down with the Iranians once they verifiably suspend their enrichment program. I meant what I said."

"Imagine a Middle East with an Iran with a nuclear weapon threatening free nations and trying to promote their vision of extremism through Hezbollah," he added.

Bush said that he was concerned that Iran would try to win time to push ahead with its nuclear program. "My concern is that they'll stall, they'll try to wait us out," he said. "So part of my objective in New York is to remind people that stalling shouldn't be allowed."

/Iran Focus/