Iran’s New President Calls for Nuclear Talks Without Rejecting Direct U.S. Role

[bananas]

Source: New York Times

Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, on Tuesday used his first news conference to call for serious negotiations to solve the decade-long dispute over the country’s nuclear program, and he repeatedly suggested openness to direct talks with the United States, an idea that until recently had been unthinkable for many years.

At the same time, Mr. Rouhani said Americans needed to take the first step in the stalled nuclear negotiations, and he would not specify what his country would be prepared to do, if anything, to make those negotiations advance. While the tone of Mr. Rouhani’s remarks appeared more accommodating than that of his predecessor, he broke no new ground on Iran’s position regarding the nuclear dispute, the most serious international issue confronting the country.

<snip>

The State Department responded to Mr. Rouhani’s remarks by reiterating its position that Iran is in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions requesting a halt to the uranium enrichment.

“We’ve also expressed an openness to having direct discussions with Iran,” a State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, told reporters at a daily news briefing. “But the ball is in their court. We still feel that they need to take steps to abide by their international obligations, and we’re not at that point.”

Mr. Rouhani’s repeated mention of direct negotiations with the United States made clear that Iran is no longer ideologically opposed to such talks, ending a period of more than three decades in which the subject was a political taboo.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/07/world/middleeast/irans-new-president-says-nuclear-talks-could-succeed.html?_r=0

[MADem]

1. It's not likely Rouhani would have said that without permission of the Supreme Leader. nt

[bananas]

4. Yes, it's a good sign. nt

[Behind the Aegis]

5. Exactly. Some thing has changed, and it isn't just the president.

But, it is good news, so there's that.

[bananas]

2. Iran's leader reaches out to U.S., vows to resolve nuclear row

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/06/us-iran-nuclear-idUSBRE9750Q020130806

Iran's leader reaches out to U.S., vows to resolve nuclear row

By Marcus George and Yeganeh Torbati
DUBAI | Tue Aug 6, 2013 3:30pm EDT

(Reuters) -

<snip>

Rouhani warned against what he called the "carrot and stick" approach of the United States of offering talks and at the same time ratcheting up sanctions, which have had a deepening impact on Iran's economy over the last 18 months.

<snip>

"If anyone thinks through threats they can impose their will on the Iranian nation, they are making a very big mistake. This dual approach will not yield any result. This brings into question the honesty of American officials."

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pressure on Iran had, in fact, been effective.

"Iran's president said that pressure won't work. Not true! The only thing that has worked in the last two decades is pressure," he said in a statement.

"And the only thing that will work now is increased pressure. I have said that before and I'll say it again, because that's important to understand. You relent on the pressure, they will go all the way. You should sustain the pressure".

<snip>

[bananas]

3. There's a lot more in the Times and Reuters articles.

US educated advisors, live twitter feed during the speech, etc.

[ConcernedCanuk]

6. Baloney

.
.
.

Iran is buying time, and I don't blame them.

United Nations Security Council is just a tool of the USA

Was it not the United Nations Security Council that allowed the slaughter in Iraq?

It appears to me that the Iranians are smarter than US Americans.

Iran may well have any such meeting directly above one of their nuclear facilities.

And why is Iran not allowed to enrich Uranium while the USA is???

Or North Korea or anywhere else?

Oh - I know,

because the USA said so.

fuck that.

CC

[John2]

7. All, I see

is spinning from both sides. Just what is different, when the last Iranian President offered direct talks with Obama in a letter, when he came to office? Obama rejected direct talks and wanted pre-conditions attached. If Iran doesn't cave to pre conditions, it will be fruitless, especially when Netanyahu dictating them. It is the same way with the Palestinians. Netanyahu is running the show.