From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

Face to face for the first time in 30 years.

I'm Sarah Terry sitting in for Warren Only, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

a daily look at the issues Americans

care about most. The United States sits down for direct negotiations with Iran tomorrow for the

first time in three decades. France, Britain, China, Russia and Germany will be there too. At the

meetings in Geneva, the West will be pushing Iran for greater transparency on its nuclear program

while threatening sanctions if it refuses to cooperate.

What can be achieved at the talks?

Will Russia and China agree to stepping up the pressure on Iran?

On reporter's notebook, a presidential Olympics pitch, the Obama's take Chicago's case to Copenhagen.

First, the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation, the John D. and Catherine

T. McArthur Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation and its campaign for American workers.

More at rockfound.org. I'm Sarah Terry, sitting in for Warren Allney, back with To the Point from

PRI. We'll be talking about the historic meeting that opens tomorrow in Geneva, where the permanent

members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany, will sit down for talks with Iran about its nuclear program.

The meeting marks the first time that the United States in Iran have been in direct negotiations in 30 years.

But Iran has said it wants to discuss trade, not nuclear power.

How much is known about Iran's nuclear ambitions, and what can diplomatic

efforts yield if Iran refuses to make concessions? On reporter's notebook, the president turns lobbyist.

Obama himself will make a last-minute pitch for Chicago to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.

...