US outlines strategies for Iran's nuclear issue

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In an interview aired on ABC, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates outlined strategies America may use to deal with Iran's controversial nuclear program.

The Iranian nuclear issue was also on the agenda of an interview with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who appeared on CBS.

On Friday, the US Defense Secretary estimated America has between one to three years in which to deal with Iran.

He summarized methods that could be adopted. These included trying to get Iran to change their nuclear policies during a key upcoming meeting on Thursday between the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.

Robert Gates, US Defense Secretary, said, "I think that what is critical is persuading the Iranians that, or leading them to the conclusion that, their security will be diminished by trying to get nuclear weapons rather than enhanced. And I think that because of the election we see fissures in Iran that we have not seen before, not in the 30 years since the revolution. And I think that severe sanctions, that first of all, we have created a problem for the Iranians with this disclosure."