Posted By Uri Friedman Share

On Wednesday, President Obama warned that the window for resolving the dispute over Iran's nuclear program "diplomatically is shrinking." Luckily, Iran appears to be poking its head through that very window. Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili has welcomed a resumption of talks between his country and the so-called "P5+1 -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States. Here's Iran's Fars News Agency:

He further called for constructive, serious and prerequisite-free talks for steady cooperation, and asked the EU foreign policy chief to remain loyal to the contents of her letter in this regard.

The Iranian top negotiator also demanded the Group 5+1 to show a constructive approach towards talks based on preserving Iran's nuclear rights in accordance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and also asked for holding negotiations on a steady and progressive trend.

Iran and the G5+1 are still in discussion over the date and venue for the next round of their talks.

 

Iran meter: There are, of course, numerous reasons to dismiss today's development. Western powers suspect Iran is simply buying time with the talks and blame the collapse of negotiations in Istanbul in January 2011 on Iran refusing to substantively engage on the nuclear issue.

More to the point, Western powers want Iran to stop enriching uranium as a precondition to talks, while Iranian officials insist they will not negotiate on their right to enrich uranium. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton wants Iran to embrace confidence-building measures such as granting inspectors more access to its nuclear facilities, while Iran's envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency says agreeing to talk about the country's nuclear program "by itself is confidence-building."

The BBC's James Reynolds points out that the most recent talks in Geneva and Istanbul "were essentially parallel monologues," and that Iran's agreement in 2009 to export low-enriched uranium in exchange for reactor fuel was never implemented. Still, he notes that Western officials see Jalili's reference to the nuclear issue this time around as evidence that Iran may finally be serious about dialogue.

And in a grim showdown between Iran and the West that rarely produces good news, Obama making a last-ditch plea for diplomacy and Iran welcoming talks constitutes a pretty good day.

Anja Niedringhaus/AFP/Getty Images

EXPLORE:IRAN, IRAN WATCH
 

TARQUINIS

10:24 AM ET

March 15, 2012

Zionists: A second thought is appropriate

Iran with no nuclear weapons is zero military threat against nuclear superpower Israel, much less a threat to the USA.

Israel (which refuses to sign or abide by the NPT) is in possession of many hundreds of nuclear warheads. More importantly, it possesses the most advanced delivery systems in the world including nuclear powered ballistic missile firing submarines. A nation with zero nuclear weapons does not attack another with hundreds. Even if (a hypothetical) Iran did some day acquire a nuclear weapon (to secure itself from vicarious nuclear attack) it could never use it against Israel because of the intertwined nature of the Palestinian and Israeli populations. Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in world Islam is in Jerusalem and they would never risk its destruction.

But lets just ignore all of that. I ask all the Zionist posters howling for war, to seriously consider the CONSEQUENCES of an Israeli attack.

If you are paying attention, Syria is currently and steadily sliding into chaos. What originally was a movement in support of democracy is now steadily moving into a sectarian conflict between the Shiia and the Sunni. The Saudis are going to finance weapons for the insurgency. The Shiia of Lebanon and Iran are fearful of major political loss in this, and reluctantly but to date resolutely, continue to back Al-Assad. A war against Iran initiated by Israel would spread to our interests in about half an hour. Iran would certainly hit back to the best their abilities. Prices for petroleum would certainly skyrocket to who knows what level, collapsing our fragile economy like a house of cards. Same for the whole world's economy for the same reasons. Mass chaos from Lebanon to Pakistan. Things quickly spiral out of control. Afghanistan explodes. Al-Qaeda claps its hands in glee in Yemen and Somalia. China and Russia get quite hostile. Radioactive clouds drift eastward over India. And of course in this event, Iran would conclude that it must quickly obtain a nuclear WMD capability. Achieving exactly what you claim you want to avoid!

Great! An Israeli attack slams the whole world into what? A bridge too far? Total global chaos? Choose your own apocalyptic metaphors.

But if the Zionist posters care for nothing else, consider this: Israel's current political support in the US could evaporate literally overnight.

 

MAXIMB

5:04 AM ET

March 20, 2012

WWI was known as the "war to

WWI was known as the "war to end all wars". Even though it was Woodrow Wilson's plan to organize the League of Nations (a prototype of the UN) the US Congress voted down American involvement in that body. The US was sick of active military foreign interventionist policies following that war and became self-contained also because of the Great Depression. Even during the first two years of WWII, we only became active via The Lend Lease Act of March, 1941. Essentially, we supplied material' to China, the Soviet Union, the UK, France, and other allied nations prior to our entry due to Pearl Harbor. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor opened the door to active military involvement and a change in foreign policy approaches..

"Is rio orange war always comparateur forfait mobile inevitable ?"
MaximB

 

MAXIMB

9:35 AM ET

March 22, 2012

What debate were you even

What debate were you even watching? He stated his primary action would be diplomacy. And if all else fails, military action to find Bin Laden and the Taliban, at the same time taking troops out of Iraq. It wouldn't cost nearly as much as what's currently being spent on Iraq..

"Is rio orange war always comparateur forfait inevitable ?"
MaximB

 

MAXIMB

11:55 PM ET

March 22, 2012

It turned out very well,

It turned out very well, actually. It kept Iran and Iraq busy killing each other for eight years, and it hastened the fall of the Soviet Union..

"Is rio orange war always forfait b and you inevitable ?"
MaximB

 

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