Iranian Politician Urges U.S. - Iran Ties

[cal04]

Iran's former parliament speaker on Saturday urged direct talks with the United States to break down the ''walls of mistrust,'' but said Tehran would not give up the right to produce nuclear fuel and pursue other technological
advances. ''This silence between the two countries cannot go on forever,'' Mehdi Karroubi told The Associated Press. ''The ice should be broken and the walls of mistrust should fall.''

To that end, he said he ''supported direct talks but on equal terms'' in which the United States did not enter negotiations as a ''bully.'' Karroubi, once a leading figure among conservatives, began a reformist movement before last year's presidential elections and accused Iran's leadership of manipulating the vote to favor the surprise winner, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Karroubi, a parliament speaker from 2000 to 2004, finished third.

Karroubi's official power has faded, but he maintains considerable influence through his pipeline to the nation's ruling clerics and his own authority as a hojjatoleslam, or a mid-ranking cleric. Although Karroubi strongly endorsed direct and wide-ranging contacts with Washington, he held firm to one key position of the hard-line government: Iran cannot give up the right to enrich uranium and have full control over its nuclear program.

''Technology and knowledge are our national right,'' he said. ''This is not negotiable ... but we should move forward on many diplomatic levels.'' The United States and several allies claim Iran's nuclear ambitions include developing atomic weapons. Iran insists it only wants reactors for peaceful energy purposes.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Iran-Karroubi.html

[Gregorian]

1. The Bush Mob want their money. What's there to talk about?

We now know that this is a very large gang of international thugs. They own practically everything. And they want more. So what's there to discuss? Stick em up. Roll over, or be rolled over. Sadly, the American people can't see what's in front of them. And until then, the world is going to pay the price.

[lfairban]

2. He elected to take the High Road.

He also re-framed the debate in a way that marginalizes the * administration position:

. . . in which the United States did not enter negotiations as a ''bully.''

This might work for them.

Of course, with *, it is almost impossible to take the Low Road.

[joe_shmoe]

3. **PETITION AGAINST MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAN**

It is with grave concern that I observe the growing threat of a new U.S. war--this time against the people of Iran.

For a collection of articles and resources on this subject you can visit this link: http://reseaudesign.com/research/iran/iran_summery.html

I'm starting up a petition which I will be sending out to as many members of Congress as possible. I'm asking for help to get this signed by as many people, possible in the next month. Send it to as many people you can.

http://www.petitiononline.com/n0war1rn /


thanks,
J-shmoe