U.S. says it's prepared to talk with Iran

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON - In a major policy shift, the United States said Wednesday it is prepared to join other nations in holding direct talks with Iran on its nuclear program if Iran first agrees to stop disputed nuclear activities that the West fears could lead to a bomb.

"To underscore our commitment to a diplomatic solution and to enhance prospects for success, as soon as Iran fully and verifiably suspends its enrichment and reprocessing activities, the United States will come to the table," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at the State Department.

The Swiss ambassador to the United States was called to the State Department earlier Wednesday to receive a copy of Rice's remarks for transmission to Iran, U.S. officials said. The United States has had no diplomatic ties with Iran and few contacts at all with its government since Islamic radicals took over the U.S. Embassy in 1979 and held diplomats there for more than a year.

The Bush administration has been deeply suspicious of Iran's intentions and the prime mover for tough United Nations action against the clerical regime. Until now, the United States has refused repeated calls from European nations, other diplomats and former secretaries of state to join the European talks.

Yahoo

[endarkenment]

1. WTF?

"United States said Wednesday it is prepared to join other nations in holding direct talks with Iran on its nuclear program if Iran first agrees to stop disputed nuclear activities"

Oh what a load of crap that is. We will negotiate directly with Iran after they submit to our demands.

By the way, we are in direct violation of the NPT, so why exactly is Iran supposed to comply with it? (Not that they are in violation, they aren't, at least not yet.)

[bemildred]

2. More bafflegab from the princes of bafflegab.

The headline lies by the way, this is not even a minor policy shift.

[AngryAmish]

3. well

[hadrons]

4. Rice: U.S. sets conditions for talks with Iran

WASHINGTON - The United States is prepared to join other nations in holding direct talks with Iran on its nuclear program if Iran first agrees to stop disputed nuclear activities that the West fears could lead to a bomb, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday.

"To underscore our commitment to a diplomatic solution and to enhance prospects for success, as soon as Iran fully and verifiably suspends its enrichment and reprocessing activities, the United States will come to the table," Rice said in remarks prepared for delivery at the State Department.

The Swiss ambassador to the United States was called to the State Department earlier Wednesday to receive a copy of Rice's remarks for transmission to Iran, U.S. officials said. The United States has had no diplomatic ties with Iran and few contacts at all with its government since Islamic radicals took over the U.S. Embassy in 1979 and held diplomats there for more than a year.

....

The agreement to join talks now represents a major shift in policy for the Bush administration, which has been deeply suspicious of Iran's intentions and the prime mover for tough United Nations action against the clerical regime.

Iran has so far refused to do what the U.S. is now demanding as a first step to talks. Iran did voluntarily suspend those activities while talks were active with the Europeans last year, but resumed and stepped up those activities this spring.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060531/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/iran_nuclear_27;_ylt=AkcSQOLSOW0dpOPAOthGAMtSw60A;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl


I wonder what Ahmadinejad hand gesture means :-)

[Lerkfish]

5. so...Iran must succumb to an ultimatum before diplomacy may occur?

a unilateral, absolutist and impossible ultimatum? Where have we seen this before?

hmmm....

[AngryOldDem]

6. So, when do we invade?

Condi needs to take better acting lessons.

[rocktivity]

7. Bush will talk with Iran on the condition that Iran shuts up?

Talk about putting the cart before the horse! This is a replay of what he did with the weapons inspectors--ran them out of Iraq by invading it to prevent them from finding out that that Bush had no grounds on which to invade it. Now when he attacks Iran, he'll get to say, "We TRIED diplomacy!!!"

:crazy:
rocknation

[AngryOldDem]

8. Just taking a page from the old playbook

It worked so well the last time, after all... :sarcasm:

People must be deaf, dumb, and blind not to see where this is headed. This was an ultimatum plain and simple: Give up your nukes or we're coming to get you.

Don't you wish they would just drop the pretense? It gets boring after awhile.

[underpants]

9. *pop* *pop* *pop*

Freepers and Fox news writers heads exploding like popcorn

[rolleitreks]

10. I disagree. I think this is a very positive development.

I hope the Iranians grasp the opportunity. News reports the other day were that Iran was slowing its nuclear processing in hopes of improving the propects for a diplomatic solution. Perhaps this is the fruit.

[endarkenment]

13. Demanding that your adversary submit to your demands

before you will sit down to discuss those demands is just plain old bullshit. Welcome to DU.

[shadowknows69]

14. You're dreaming

this administration has its mind on war. Even if Iran complies this time it will be spun to look like they "didn't go far enough". The dogs of war are running.

[Miss Chybil]

11. Good.

Now, gas prices should go down and we can breathe for a minute. I don't have the highest hopes for the Bush Regime's diplomacy skills, but at least, it's a start.

[TheWatcher]

12. This isn't diplomacy.

Read the other posts in this thread and don't kid yourself with false Hope.

This is exactly a replay of what they did with Iraq.

It's the same playbook, the same bullshit.

We are going to Bomb/Invade Iran. It's not a question of if, but when.

They are determined to start World War III.

[Miss Chybil]

15. Ok.

But, if you don't mind, I'll keep up the hope for a while. False, or not. I really have no other alternative. Besides, it sounds much better to me for them to say they will talk than for them to say they won't.