Iran will consider official US request for talks
Iran-USA, Politics, 5/7/2007

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in an interview with Al-Arabiya television gave perspective for Iran-US talks.

The interview was held on the sidelines of the International Conference on Iraqi security held in Sharm el-Sheikh on May 3-4. Asked about reasons he did not meet with his US counterpart Condoleezza Rice, he said that several questions are being raised about Iran-US talks, showing significance of the case.

"It is extremely clear that there are various issues for bilateral talks."
He added, "Issues between the two countries are divided into two categories. One, includes bilateral issues with important topics and the other, is common issues in the region and particularly in Iraq.
Bilateral issues between the two countries require the US to change its policies it adopted during the past 27 years (after victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979). Washington should amend its policies, establish logical, principled and fair ties with Iran and compensate for the losses it inflicted on Tehran."

Mottaki said Iran has reservations about US tendency to hold talks with Iranian officials, because "we have not seen necessary determination from Washington."

He noted that continued allegations against Iran, ignoring of the mistakes the US has committed in Iraq and lack of Washington's serious determination to correct mistakes were the best reasons for the Iranian reservations.

The minister stated that studies carried out by the US experts on Iraq including the Baker-Hamilton Iraqi Study Group in particular proved failure of the US policies on Iraq. "The US should explicitly recognize the situation in Iraq without making Iran a scapegoat ahead of making arrangements for fair talks with Iran," he said.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said yesterday if the US administration officially asks for talks with Iran, it will be considered.

Mottaki said in an interview with Time magazine that Iran is ready for talks with the US officials.
The Minister also indicated that recently revived talks on the nuclear issue with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana should continue "until we arrive at a multi-faceted formula" that recognizes Iran's nuclear rights and satisfies international concerns.
Speaking after the conclusion of a two-day conference on Iraq's future held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh, Mottaki explained that he did not meet Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice one-on-one during the conference, because "ministers of foreign affairs don't just meet accidentally."
Rice told reporters that "the opportunity simply didn't arise...I would have taken that opportunity."
Besides facing each other across the conference table, Rice and Mottaki exchanged pleasantries at a lunch.
But Mottaki walked out of a dinner at which the Egyptian hosts had placed him within easy conversation range of Rice purportedly because he objected to a revealing red dress worn by a woman violinist providing background music for the occasion.
"Before such talks could occur, Washington would have to show political will to enter into discussions with Iran, and take unspecified steps to show its seriousness," he said.

US Secretary of States Condoleezza Rice said Friday that the US is ready to end 28 years of break-off with Iran, if Iran suspends enrichment of uranium.

Rice repeated claims of Washington on dispatch of weapons from Iran to Iraq.

Previous Stories:
  Iran says Iraq pressure has changed US tone towards it   (5/1/2007)
  Larijani: US engaged in secret talks with terrorists   (5/1/2007)
  Iran's envoy to Saudi Arabia: US unable to guarantee security   (4/23/2007)

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