Obama planning direct talks with Iran; US will strike in 4-5 months if they don’t bear fruit, Israeli TV report says
Channel 10 News says US president keeping Israel out of the loop, holds Netanyahu personally responsible for leaks from UN reports
Washington has decided to negotiate directly with Iran, and will resort to military force in four or five months if diplomacy can’t persuade Tehran to relinquish its alleged atomic weapons program, Israel’s Channel 10 News reported on Tuesday night, quoting a senior American official.
The channel’s veteran diplomatic correspondent Emmanuel Rosen reported that President Barack Obama had decided to bypass Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and leave Israel out of the loop. Rosen said that Obama believed Netanyahu was personally behind a recent series of purported leaks from reports produced by the UN’s International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) about the Iranian program.
According to a report Monday in the Guardian, Western officials speculate that Israel could have leaked the information in order to increase international pressure on the Iranian regime.
Obama, the report said, had set down some preconditions to negotiations, demanding that Iran cease production of high-enriched uranium and grant IAEA inspectors full access to, and supervision over, its nuclear facilities.
Channel 10 suggested that America’s decision to hold off on military involvement in Syria for the time being was due to the fact that it didn’t want to open a new front with the prospect of a war against Iran looming on the horizon.
In recent weeks, there have been increasing indications from the US that it is willing to hold direct bilateral talks with Iran.
The basic contours of any negotiated solution are clear: US, European and other international sanctions would be eased if Iran halts its enrichment of uranium that is getting closer to weapons-grade, sends abroad its existing stockpile of such uranium and suspends operations at its underground Fordo facility.
But Iran’s leadership has refused to bite on that approach, even as the value of its currency has dropped precipitously against the dollar, sparking an economic depression and massive public discontent.
That has prompted US brainstorming on ways to reshape the offer to make it more attractive for the Iranians, without granting any new concessions that would reward the regime for its intransigence, administration officials said in November. They spoke on condition of anonymity, because they weren’t authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
Last week, Iran’s foreign ministry said direct talks with the United States were possible, but that such a step would have to first be approved by the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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WarSclerotic 
December 12, 2012 at 4:15 PM
Wait…now where’s that ‘red line’ again? I seem to have lost it for the upteenth time.
December 12, 2012 at 7:06 PM
It seems this idiot in Washington is color blind.
December 12, 2012 at 4:39 PM
We are dealing here with a steel wall of fanaticism which has repelled every educational effort, every offer of negotiations and every political approach. Certainly this is the record of the nuclear negotiations with Iran.
The example of the 1938 Munich Agreement shows the consequences of failing to take what antisemites say literally. It shows where the flight into illusion eventually leads – to total war.
Matthias Kuntzel – Antisemitism, Messianism and the Cult of Sacrifice:The Iranian Holy War.
http://www.madisdead.blogspot.co.il/2012/09/matthias-kuntzel-antisemitism_8.html
December 12, 2012 at 6:43 PM
Another 4-5 months? What happened to the dozens of previous predictions of an attack:
Israel will attack Iran before X-mas 2011. Before the US elections. Within one year. Israeli attack expected soon. In January. [an Israeli attack] could come in the near future. Attack within 6 months. Attack expected between Christmas and New Year. During the summer. Israel reserves the right to attack Iran. Very soon. After the US elections. This time we mean it. In May. Israel will attack Iran before it is too late. Latest in September. Very, very soon. Before the window of opportunity for an attack will close. All the options are on the table. If I was an Iranian, I would be very fearful of the next 12 weeks. Israel should attack Iran alone if necessary. In 2013. In February. Attack after New Year. Israel will intervene militarily, during the fall. Israel feels like it cannot afford to wait. A timetable of weeks, rather than months. The attack will come in the middle of the night. Netanyahu and Barak want to attack in the coming weeks. Israel has to attack before the zone of immunity. We’ll strike in 2012. Israel has the right to defend itself. Now we are very serious. The Israeli clock on military action on Iran’s nuclear program “is ticking faster”. Attack is imminent. In March. Preparations are underway. Within 3 months. Israel is on high alert! Decision by Netanyahu and Barak to strike Iran is almost final. The deadline is December 2012. Before November. Netanyahu “is determined to attack Iran before the US elections. “from the prime minister’s point of view, the time for action is getting ever closer”. A military option that is realistic and credible. the Israeli military threat is not an empty one. The threat of an Israeli attack is real. Meridor replied “If I was Khamenei I would be worried after a declaration like that”. Netanyahu said, “Time has run out” for diplomacy. As frightening as it sounds, Israel has no choice but to act. We need to bomb Iran before it is too late. Is Netanyahu planning an October surprise?Tzachi Hanegbi, hints at timetable for Iran attack: We now stand, in my opinion, before the 50 most fateful days in Israel’s history. If Israel feels its back is against the wall it will take action.defense minister suggests Israel must strike before it’s too late.Obama set to assure Israel that, if all else fails, US will attack Iran by June 2013 and now: US will strike in 4-5 months if they don’t bear fruit
December 13, 2012 at 6:21 PM
4 months is so optimistic,the word coming from the usa is thats if they start to cooperate,its more likely to be feb or march,what country do you live in Renbe.
December 12, 2012 at 7:15 PM
You left one out Renbe…US military will engage Iran after Mitt Romney is elected President.
December 12, 2012 at 7:24 PM
Sorry, Mr.Kalman. That will never happen.
I think it’s wishful thinking on your part.
The US under obama will never strike Iran.
But I think the following could happen:
Obama and the Mullahs strike a deal where the US drops all sanctions and they sign an agreement which SEEMS to solve the problem but in effect let the Iranians happily enrich without hinderance and continue their weapons development.
A win-win-situation for both.
Thanks to the spin of the Obama-whorshipping media in the US and in Europe he could boast how he singlehandedly solved this crisis while the Iranians could in effect continue doing what they want without sanctions.
The only ones who are able and willing to stop Iran are the Israelis.
December 12, 2012 at 8:38 PM
So very true Mr. artaxes!
December 12, 2012 at 9:09 PM
I agree ar…and kudos to renbe for all the work he put into his informative comment above.
December 13, 2012 at 2:25 AM
The idea that yet ANOTHER round of negotiations could lead anywhere is preposterous.
If Hussein was ever going to support an Iran strike (let alone launch one himself) it would’ve been prior to the election. Now he is free to oppose any Israeli action without accountability.