The New York Times reports that “President Obama said on Tuesday that Iran’s diplomatic overture in recent weeks could provide a foundation for an agreement on its nuclear program, but he warned that ‘conciliatory words will have to be matched by actions that are transparent and verifiable.’”

“Speaking to the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Obama sounded a cautiously optimistic tone about the prospects for diplomacy, saying he had instructed Secretary of State John Kerry to pursue face-to-face negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program.”

The NYT posts the full text of Obama’s UN speech here.