Iran Calls U.S. Offer 'Propaganda'

Rice Says U.S. Will Join Nuclear Talks If Iran Stops Uranium Enrichment

(CBS/AP) 
The Bush administration had until now refused to talk directly to the Iranians about their nuclear program, although there have been sporadic contacts among relatively low-level officials on other subjects.

The offer to talk should strip Iran and some U.S. allies of the argument that the hardline U.S. stance was an obstacle, or that Washington was not willing to try every means to resolve the impasse peacefully, U.S. officials said.

"This is the last excuse, in some sense," Rice said.

She said the United States was not offering full diplomatic relations with Iran and would not swear off ever using military action to stop what the U.S. contends is a rogue program to build a nuclear weapon.

"This is not a grand bargain," Rice said. "What we're talking about here is an effort to enhance the chances for a successful negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear problem."

The administration has given arms-length support to European efforts to bargain with Iran, but also has been the prime mover for sanctions or other tough United Nations action. Russia and China, Iran's commercial allies on the council, have so far blocked that path.

Rice would not directly answer questions about whether those nations are committed to tough measures if the U.S. overture doesn't work.

She spoke of "tactical differences" and said, "I think you can be sure that our friends and our partners understand the importance of the step and the importance that the Iranians must now see of making a choice and making that choice clearly."

"The Rice announcement certainly throws the ball in Tehran's court," said CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk from the U.N., "but it forces Russia and China to agree to eventual sanctions if Iran does not comply, and it is still unclear if they have agreed to that condition."

"It also requires a suspension of uranium enrichment by Iran," added Falk, "and one can expect to hear a negative response from Tehran."

"I think once {iran} reevaluates, they may see it to their benefit to engage in these types of talks," Charles Ferguson of the Council on Foreign Relations said. "If they don't engage in these talks, then it looks like they are obstructionists. Then it looks like they may have a nuclear weapons program. This could play into the United States' hands."

In Brussels, Belgium, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana welcomed the U.S. words. "Direct U.S. participation would be the strongest and most positive signal of our common wish to reach an agreement with Iran," he said.

British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said, "The European side's goal is to present a serious and substantial offer of cooperation, which demonstrates to Iran the benefits that would flow from compliance ... rather than the further isolation which would result from their failure to do so."

The U.S. offer is conditioned on Iran suspending its enrichment of uranium and related activities and allowing inspections to prove it. European nations and the Security Council have demanded the same thing, but Iran has refused to comply.

Iran did suspend enrichment activities while talks were active with the Europeans last year but resumed and stepped up the program this spring.

Uranium enrichment can led either to a bomb or to nuclear power production, and Iran has so far insisted that it won't take any deal that involves giving up that technology.