Report: US and Iran laying framework for first direct talks in over 30 years
Report: US and Iran laying framework for first direct talks in over 30 years | JPost | Israel News.
US President Barack Obama has exchanged letters with his new Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in recent weeks, and the two leaders may hold a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York later this month, The Los Angeles Times quoted US officials as saying.
According to the Thursday report in the Times, Washington and Tehran have been discussing the situation in Syria and tentatively laying the framework for direct talks over Iran’s disputed nuclear program.
Such face-to-face talks would mark the first such interaction between the countries since the severing of diplomatic ties in 1978.
At a meeting of the UN’s nuclear watchdog on Wednesday, both the United States and the European Union expressed hope that the election of Rouhani, a relative moderate who took office as new Iranian president in early August, would lead to a softening of the Islamic state’s nuclear defiance.
But they also said Iran had continued to increase its nuclear capacity in recent months and that no progress had been made so far in a long-stalled UN investigation into suspected atomic bomb research by Iran, which denies any such activity.
Reinforcing the West’s message that time was of the essence in moving to resolve the decade-old nuclear dispute, the European Union told Tehran that any “further procrastination is unacceptable.”
They warned that they may seek diplomatic action against Iran at the next quarterly meeting of the 35-nation board of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in late November, if no progress has been achieved by then.
US Ambassador Joseph Macmanus said Washington was ready to work with the new Iranian government “to reach a diplomatic solution that will fully address the international community’s concerns” about Iran’s nuclear program.
“We are hopeful that the Rouhani administration will live up to its assurances of transparency and cooperation by taking concrete steps over the next several months,” he told the closed-door board meeting, according to a copy of his speech.
But, Macmanus added, “should Iran continue its intransigence and obfuscation, we will work with fellow board members at the November board meeting to hold Iran appropriately accountable.”
“TWO TO TANGO”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, tasked with leading nuclear negotiations, said on Wednesday Iran’s nuclear work ought to be operated transparently and under international safeguards, but world powers could not “wish it away”.
Zarif, a US-educated former ambassador to the United Nations, is regarded favorably by Western diplomats.
“Getting to yes is our motto … but it takes two to tango,” he said in a live interview on Iranian broadcaster Press TV.
Iran’s last round of talks with the big powers – the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, dubbed the P5+1 – was in April in Kazakhstan, before Rouhani’s election, and both sides have said they want to continue soon.
“If the United States and the rest of the P5+1 group are not prepared to get seriously involved in this process then it will be a totally different scenario,” Zarif said in English.
Citing the IAEA’s latest report on Iran, Macmanus said it had expanded its enrichment capacity by continuing to install advanced and first-generation centrifuges. “These are concerning escalations of an already prohibited activity,” he said.
Iran was also making further progress in the construction of the Arak reactor, which can yield plutonium for bombs, including putting the reactor vessel in place and beginning to make fuel.
“All of these are troubling developments,” Macmanus added.
Iran has been engaged in on-off negotiations with major world powers for more than a decade, and has been subjected to several rounds of UN and Western economic sanctions.
Separately, Iran and the IAEA have held ten rounds of talks since early 2012 in an attempt by the UN agency to resume its investigation into what it calls the “possible military dimensions” to Iran’s nuclear program, so far without success.
A new meeting is set for Sept. 27 in Vienna, seen by Western diplomats as a key test of the new Iranian government’s intentions. “International concerns will only be allayed by concrete actions, not by words,” the EU statement said.
WarSclerotic 
September 12, 2013 at 2:23 PM
There will be no strike on Iran either by the looks of things.
September 12, 2013 at 6:44 PM
Not by the U.S..It is up to Israel and other countries like the Saudis etc. to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat.
September 12, 2013 at 2:25 PM
North Korea has just restarted a nuclear reactor, many saying its because of the Obama weakness
September 12, 2013 at 3:48 PM
No, they are only producing coffee there. That satellite got it totally wrong.
September 12, 2013 at 4:01 PM
Direct talks will allow Obama to show just how much more “flexible” he is now that he won a second term.
September 12, 2013 at 4:21 PM
Obama is no other than Mister Fantastic. His elasticity is famous; being so fu@king intelligent, he is very in love with himself and being so flexible, he can kiss his own a$$ whenever he wants to.
September 12, 2013 at 4:44 PM
Unbecoming Luis…
September 12, 2013 at 5:01 PM
I agree with you 100 percent. Very unbecoming. Mostly, unbecoming. The problem is, Obama is (un)becoming Mister Fantastic. With all the advantages I’ve already pointed out above.
And many more.
September 12, 2013 at 6:19 PM
Obama is doing what he thinks is in America’s best interest. These interests don’t always align with other countries interests, in this case Israel’s. That’s why it was a mistake for Israel to let itself be surrounded by so much fire power and let itself be held back by foreign powers, in this case America
September 12, 2013 at 6:35 PM
Obama is not ”doing what he thinks is in America’s best interest”.
Obama is destroying America. Don’t bring Israel in, this time. We didn’t advice him to set his idiotic red lines and putting himself into a corner. We didn’t advice him to go to war for face saving. Israel didn’t whispered in his ear, in that fateful Friday night, to take it to the congress and showing a weak, hesitating president.
Israel didn’t gave you Obama to be elected, either. That was the wise election of a certain part of the American people, so keep your prize and enjoy it. Stop trying to bring Israel in, ”John Prophet”, unless you are really believe that Israel is behind all your problems. Is it, “John Prophet” ? Is the universal Jewish conspiracy that we are talking about here? Because, if that is what it is, you have to say it loud and clear, without ”America wont do that” and ”America wont do this in Israeli favor” thing, because no serious man here, in Israel, is expecting America of Obama to do anything in Israeli favor or even in America’s own favor.
Obama is destroying America. Get used to it. Israel is not your concern, anymore.
September 12, 2013 at 7:29 PM
Luis….
Who in their right mind could assert that little Israel is destroying the world’s greatest power.
I don’t understand why you are hammering John as if he were “Tony.”
Luis, did I miss something?
This kind of vitriol should be reserved for those that REALLY deserve it.
John, either I’m out to lunch or Luis has screwed up here. If he has, I’ll let him apologize to you.
If he hasn’t, well…. You ain’t seen nothing yet.
September 12, 2013 at 7:16 PM
Dude, calm down. No one here is talking Jewish conspiracy but you.
Israel has been watching evil swell its ranks and surround it for years. As with the Masada fortress, the Israeli fortress is not a good long term strategy.
It’s time to change the facts on the ground, you’ve said that yourself. All I’m saying (and I’ve been consistant on this) it should have been done before things got to such a state!
September 12, 2013 at 7:32 PM
”Dude”, you are not getting it. Masada was never the strategy of the modern Israel. If you alone didn’t figure that out, I wont enlighten you on this one. ”It is written”, hehe…
September 12, 2013 at 7:45 PM
Luis, perhaps I don’t get. Sorry to cross swords with you, it was never my intent. Maybe I should give this space a rest from my thoughts for awhile……
September 12, 2013 at 9:04 PM
First , To Joseph: To this affirmation of John, that :”Obama is doing what he thinks is in America’s best interest” I wrote that : ‘ ”Obama is not ”doing what he thinks is in America’s best interest”. ‘
To John affirmation, that: ”These interests don’t always align with other countries interests, in this case Israel’s”, I wrote : ”Don’t bring Israel in, this time”. And why I wrote that? Because people here – and not only John – have started, from the very moment that it seemed to them that Obama is ready to strike in Syria, to say ”that America should take care of its own business”, that ”America were involved enough in this stinky region and its time for America to return home”, because ” the interests of America are not always the interests of Israel”. Lets be clear on this one: If Obama should strike in Syria, it was not because of Israel, but indeed it was in Israeli interest to execute that operation. Everybody now are understanding this?
Not because of Israel, even though the strike would be in the Israeli interest.
That what the people here didn’t get and may be they will continue not to understand. Obama, may be – MAY BE – wanted to strike Syria but he got afraid by his long shadow. That’s all.
And the reason he may want that it was because of ”saving his own face” after those stupid red lines. Not because of Israel, not despite Israel and not for the sake of Israel.
And also, not for America. Obama, by his approach, is destroying America. ” Who in their right mind could assert that little Israel is destroying the world’s greatest power” was totally out of context, Joseph. Obama is doing that and I wasn’t say that John insinuated that but this ” Israel thing ” must stop, because America has other problems right now, and, in their great part, by the same Obama.
Many people here just got a severe amnesia once this crisis sparked. Many people here forgot that Israel is the only -ONLY- ally in the region of the United States. And not only in the region, but in the world. Its not a bad thing for the US to take care, to help and protect such an ally, such a powerful ally. Putin knows how to do that. We all have seen how he has fought for Assad, Syria.
Israel and America, there are one. He who doesn’t understand that, is a foul. They are striking America? Then Israel has been hit in the very moment. Are they striking Israel? Then America is the next in line. So, dear people, open your eyes and see. And no, it wasn’t that ” Luis has screwed up here ”. Luis is only pissed off by the fact that America is abandoning Israel and people still think that this fact is in America’s interest and are not seeing Obama behind the scenes. And Joseph, I’m not using vitriol in my notes.
May be a too sharp style, sometimes, may be. But not vitriol.
And to your question: ”Luis, did I miss something?” I worked hard to answer above.
To John: Read carefully what I just answered to Joseph. I hope that will clarify why I answered you in the form I’ve answered you.
September 12, 2013 at 5:02 PM
Thinking back, the videos of the CW victims showed no one in a Syrian Army uniform. I know the videos were a pain to watch, but the few I did see did not contain any Syrian Army victims. If this is true, then why would the rebels not kill any regular army? What could they possible gain by killing only civilians? Some may say ‘false flag’, but I wonder. Did anyone actually see a Syrian Army uniform on one the victims?
September 12, 2013 at 5:10 PM
Of course you didn’t saw any Syrian official soldier dead, there.
The attack occurred in suburbs of Damascus with citizens friendly to the rebels. Assad soldiers were far from the points where the gas canisters fall; the civilians got it all.
September 12, 2013 at 5:17 PM
That’s what I mean Luis. If the rebels did it, then why no Syrian Army victims. It should be obvious to everyone that Assad’s forces are guilty.
September 12, 2013 at 5:27 PM
Right, but there is a catch here, though. Consider this: Some rebels, in different points, just threw those canisters near the unsuspected, sleeping civilians. If Assad launched the attack, one should find pieces of the missiles which were used to deliver those canisters to their destination. You may read the last line twice, because its critical. Those little pieces of missiles, were found or not? This is the question. Those UN inspectors were supposed to search for such things. What did they found? Those are the critical questions regarding the issue you have put on the table.
September 12, 2013 at 6:00 PM
I remember it was reported Assad’s army allegedly waged an intense bombing campaign against those neighborhoods in order to destroy the evidence.
September 12, 2013 at 6:07 PM
It was still be possible to find micro pieces of those missiles, but we still don’t know what those UN inspectors found.
September 12, 2013 at 6:51 PM
More telltale signs that the U.S. will seek a political solution to the Iranain nuclear issue.
September 12, 2013 at 6:55 PM
Well, I’d have to say that it’s about time that the US got over being butthurt about an event (the Iran hostage crisis) that happened over 30 years ago; negotiations tend to work better when you’re talking TO someone, rather than talking AT someone, and giving someone the “silent treatment” isn’t an action worthy of a superpower, it’s a mark of immaturity, the actions of an angry child.
September 12, 2013 at 8:29 PM
Why is it always America that is expected to act as a mature?
Why not Iran?
It was not just this ‘minor inconvenience’ that happened 30 years ago.
It were the many terrorist attacks supported by Iran (like the bombing of the Beirut embassy with 60 Americans dead) that happened until recent times.
There are stll state organized demonstrations with hundreds of thousands shouting every year.”death to America”.
The mullahs are calling the US the big satan.
Do you think they are kidding? Or do you think it’s just rhetoric?
Do you think they don’t mean it?
You didn’t say it openly but it seems you are implying that the US is the mature one from whom mature behaviour is expected while they are the immature savages from whom nothing is expected.
If that is what you are implying, I agree with you on the first part.
Yes, they are savages. But if we don’t expect anything from them, if we don’t expect a minimum standard of behaviour they will never become mature and they will always stay savages.
For your information, I’m not talking about the Iranian people but about the mullahs and their thugs from the IRGC and the basji.
They are Neanterthals and the antithesis of everything the Iranian culture and the Iranian civilization stands for, a great civilization going back thousands of years.
September 12, 2013 at 6:56 PM
before any talks I say that iran needs to apologize first for the 1979 takeover of the us embassy. well what the hell Obama might just apologize for our embassy being there in the first place. talking about kissing ass! we should not talk to anyone who chants death to america
September 12, 2013 at 7:30 PM
It is high time the US sits down with the Iranians and solves this matter for once and for all. It will be Mr. Obama’s legacy to restore a normal relationship between the West and Iran, based on mutual respect and transparency.
September 12, 2013 at 7:35 PM
Renbe…
From your propaganda desk to reality.
Give up the nukes and watch how fast respect and transparency are restored.
Stop calling for Israel’s destruction and instead start working with us and see how Iran and its citizens will benefit.
September 12, 2013 at 7:46 PM
Here’s a list of 62 more things Iran should pay the price for:
http://www.ncr-iran.org/fr/actualites/terrorisme-a-integrisme/46-list-of-terrorist-attacks-abroad
September 12, 2013 at 8:06 PM
@ tom: The US should apologize for the CIA engineered coup in ’53 that deposed Mohammad Mossadegh, a democratically elected leader, it could help, and it certainly couldn’t hurt; that’s the source of a lot of anti-American anger in Iran; if a foreign nation helped impose a dictatorship on the US, we’d be pretty pissed off at them, too!
September 12, 2013 at 8:09 PM
1953…that’s a long time to hold a grudge. Then again, there’s the NORK’s. No need to impose a dictator on the US, Spart. We’ve go one in the making as we speak 🙂
September 12, 2013 at 8:21 PM
@ Steve: I’m sorry to say, you’re right, and it gets worse every day!