Any remote hope of resumed nuclear talks is dead for now.
The administration said the financial issue had no direct relationship to the nuclear talks.
American officials have tried to separate counterfeiting from nuclear talks.
Bush administration officials say the sanctions are separate from the nuclear talks, which have been continuing sporadically for more than two years.
They can be held up pending a favorable response on nuclear talks.
Japan sent its envoy to the nuclear talks to China today.
Meanwhile, it would be useful to cut the "nonsense ratio" in the public discussion of these nuclear talks.
But the letter has also been used by moderates to bolster the case for nuclear talks with the West.
As you well know, at the present time, my engagement with Iran is very much on the nuclear talks and the human rights issues.
Another round of nuclear talks with Iran could be in the offing.