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May 31, 2006, 8:14AM
Diplomats: U.S. Ready to Join Iran Talks
By GEORGE JAHN Associated Press Writer
VIENNA, Austria — The United States is prepared to join other nations in holding direct talks with Iran on its nuclear program in return for concessions from China and Russia, diplomats said Wednesday.
But the diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was confidential, said Washington would only do so if Beijing and Moscow agreed to back U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran if it refuses to give up uranium enrichment.
One of the diplomats told The Associated Press that the Bush administration was planning to make an official announcement later in the day on Washington's conditional readiness to join in such talks.
The development is significant because the United States has had no official direct talks with the Iranians since the two countries cut diplomatic ties following the occupation of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran by radicals in 1979.
In recent weeks, Bush administration officials repeatedly have insisted there were no plans for one-on-one talks with Iran over its nuclear program, while holding open the possibility of such meetings on Iraq, where Tehran has substantial influence with that country's Shiites.
Any U.S. decision to talk directly with Tehran, even as part of a multilateral set of negotiations, reflects pressure by its allies and partners. Government officials from Germany have publicly urged the Americans to engage Tehran directly, and Moscow and Beijing also are believed to support such a move.
News of the latest U.S. position comes on the eve of a six-nation meeting focusing on ending months of disagreement between Washington and the Kremlin on how to persuade Tehran to stop uranium enrichment. A round of telephone diplomacy Tuesday between President Bush and the leaders of Russia, France and Germany also focused on the nuclear standoff.
Iran's room to maneuver would be greatly reduced if the Russians and Chinese agree to drop their objections to Security Council sanctions in exchange for U.S. participation in talks with Iran. For months, Moscow and Beijing have blocked U.S.-led attempts for tough Security Council action against the Islamic republic.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Tuesday his country was ready for "negotiations on Iran's nuclear issue without any preconditions," an allusion to the European Union's offer of economic and political perks if Tehran gave up enrichment.
The foreign ministers or their equivalents of the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain _ the permanent Security Council nations _ plus Germany hope to approve those incentives Thursday in Vienna. They also will consider tough council penalties, including possible sanctions, if Tehran remains defiant.
"Trust but verify," White House press secretary Tony Snow said Tuesday about Mottaki's comments. "We'll just have to wait and see."
But U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack brushed off the Iranian offer to talk, saying Tuesday in Washington: "We've heard that before."
Any package foreign ministers approve Thursday was to have been presented to Tehran by France, Britain and Germany _ the trio that broke off talks with Iran in August after the republic resumed activities linked to enrichment, which can make both nuclear fuel or the fissile core of warheads.
But the diplomats suggested the format could be expanded to seven nations _ the five permanent council members, Germany and Iran _ if the Americans joined in the talks.
The Security Council gave Iran until April 30 to suspend all such activities. Instead of complying, Iran announced last month that it had for the first time successfully enriched uranium and was doing research on advanced centrifuges to produce more of the material in less time.
Indirectly linked to any possible deal for Iran would be agreement on a resolution tough enough for Washington but also acceptable to Moscow and Beijing, Tehran's economic partners. A dispute among Security Council members over how to deal with Iran has hobbled action by the permanent members for months.
If Iran remains defiant, the resolution _ as outlined to AP by diplomats familiar with a draft version of the text _ calls for imposing sanctions under the U.N. Charter. But it avoids any reference to a specific article of the charter that can trigger possible military action to enforce any such resolution.
The proposal also calls for new consultations among the five permanent Security Council members on any further steps against Iran _ a move meant to dispel complaints by the Russians and Chinese that once the screws on Iran are tightened, the council would move automatically toward military involvement.
The possible sanctions include a visa ban on government officials, freezing assets, blocking financial transactions by government figures and those involved in the country's nuclear program, an arms embargo and a blockade on the shipping of refined oil products to Iran.
If Tehran agrees to suspend enrichment, enter new negotiations on its nuclear program and lift a ban on intrusive inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, rewards would include agreement to "suspend discussion of Iran's file at the Security Council," as well as help in building a peaceful domestic nuclear program that uses an outside supply of enriched uranium.
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Diplomats: U.S. Ready to Join Iran Talks
By GEORGE JAHN Associated Press Writer
VIENNA, Austria — The United States is prepared to join other nations in holding direct talks with Iran on its nuclear program in return for concessions from China and Russia, diplomats said Wednesday.
But the diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was confidential, said Washington would only do so if Beijing and Moscow agreed to back U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran if it refuses to give up uranium enrichment.
One of the diplomats told The Associated Press that the Bush administration was planning to make an official announcement later in the day on Washington's conditional readiness to join in such talks.
The development is significant because the United States has had no official direct talks with the Iranians since the two countries cut diplomatic ties following the occupation of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran by radicals in 1979.
In recent weeks, Bush administration officials repeatedly have insisted there were no plans for one-on-one talks with Iran over its nuclear program, while holding open the possibility of such meetings on Iraq, where Tehran has substantial influence with that country's Shiites.
Any U.S. decision to talk directly with Tehran, even as part of a multilateral set of negotiations, reflects pressure by its allies and partners. Government officials from Germany have publicly urged the Americans to engage Tehran directly, and Moscow and Beijing also are believed to support such a move.
News of the latest U.S. position comes on the eve of a six-nation meeting focusing on ending months of disagreement between Washington and the Kremlin on how to persuade Tehran to stop uranium enrichment. A round of telephone diplomacy Tuesday between President Bush and the leaders of Russia, France and Germany also focused on the nuclear standoff.
Iran's room to maneuver would be greatly reduced if the Russians and Chinese agree to drop their objections to Security Council sanctions in exchange for U.S. participation in talks with Iran. For months, Moscow and Beijing have blocked U.S.-led attempts for tough Security Council action against the Islamic republic.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Tuesday his country was ready for "negotiations on Iran's nuclear issue without any preconditions," an allusion to the European Union's offer of economic and political perks if Tehran gave up enrichment.
The foreign ministers or their equivalents of the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain _ the permanent Security Council nations _ plus Germany hope to approve those incentives Thursday in Vienna. They also will consider tough council penalties, including possible sanctions, if Tehran remains defiant.
"Trust but verify," White House press secretary Tony Snow said Tuesday about Mottaki's comments. "We'll just have to wait and see."
But U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack brushed off the Iranian offer to talk, saying Tuesday in Washington: "We've heard that before."
Any package foreign ministers approve Thursday was to have been presented to Tehran by France, Britain and Germany _ the trio that broke off talks with Iran in August after the republic resumed activities linked to enrichment, which can make both nuclear fuel or the fissile core of warheads.
But the diplomats suggested the format could be expanded to seven nations _ the five permanent council members, Germany and Iran _ if the Americans joined in the talks.
The Security Council gave Iran until April 30 to suspend all such activities. Instead of complying, Iran announced last month that it had for the first time successfully enriched uranium and was doing research on advanced centrifuges to produce more of the material in less time.
Indirectly linked to any possible deal for Iran would be agreement on a resolution tough enough for Washington but also acceptable to Moscow and Beijing, Tehran's economic partners. A dispute among Security Council members over how to deal with Iran has hobbled action by the permanent members for months.
If Iran remains defiant, the resolution _ as outlined to AP by diplomats familiar with a draft version of the text _ calls for imposing sanctions under the U.N. Charter. But it avoids any reference to a specific article of the charter that can trigger possible military action to enforce any such resolution.
The proposal also calls for new consultations among the five permanent Security Council members on any further steps against Iran _ a move meant to dispel complaints by the Russians and Chinese that once the screws on Iran are tightened, the council would move automatically toward military involvement.
The possible sanctions include a visa ban on government officials, freezing assets, blocking financial transactions by government figures and those involved in the country's nuclear program, an arms embargo and a blockade on the shipping of refined oil products to Iran.
If Tehran agrees to suspend enrichment, enter new negotiations on its nuclear program and lift a ban on intrusive inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, rewards would include agreement to "suspend discussion of Iran's file at the Security Council," as well as help in building a peaceful domestic nuclear program that uses an outside supply of enriched uranium.
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