Iran Diplomacy Push Dealt A Setback

On Same Day White House Says It Will Hold Talks, Iran Charges U.S. Journalist With Espionage

(CBS/ AP)  Efforts by the Obama administration to re-engage with Iran advanced a step and skidded backward all in the same day, underscoring the difficulties the new president faces as he tries to improve U.S. relations with its longtime foe.

First, administration officials said U.S. diplomats would attend group talks with Iran over its suspect nuclear program. That would be a major departure from President George W. Bush's policy of isolation from a nation it once deemed to be evil.

But then Iranian authorities announced that detained American journalist Roxana Saberi had been charged with spying for the U.S. and would be put on trial next week. Washington has appealed for her release since she was detained more than two months ago.

For a generation, the official exchanges between the U.S. and Iran have largely been limited to talks over security in Iraq and Afghanistan. Diplomatic relations had ended in the wake of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and subsequent hostage-taking at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

As a presidential candidate, Mr. Obama said he was willing to open direct talks with Iran. Last month, he recorded a video addressed to the Iranian people in which he said the U.S. was prepared to end years of strained relations if Tehran toned down its bellicose rhetoric.

The State Department said Wednesday the United States had decided to be present at the table "from now on" when senior diplomats from the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany meet with Iranian officials to discuss the nuclear issue.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the United States would now be a "full participant" rather than an observer in the talks, which include the other four permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - Britain, China, France and Russia - along with Germany.

"We believe that pursuing very careful engagement on a range of issues that affect our interests and the interests of the world with Iran makes sense," Clinton said. "There is nothing more important than trying to convince Iran to cease its efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon."

The six-nation group said in London on Wednesday that it would invite Iran to attend a new round of talks that have been deadlocked over Iran's refusal to stop developing components that can be used to make nuclear weapons. Iran denies charges it is seeking atomic arms and insists its program is designed to produce power.

The group has offered Iran a package of incentives to stop enriching and reprocessing uranium. Tehran has thus far rebuffed the offer despite the fact that its refusal has led to the imposition of three rounds of economic, trade and financial sanctions by the U.N. Security Council.

State Department spokesman Robert Wood said the administration believes a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear issue requires "a willingness to engage directly with each other on the basis of mutual respect and mutual interests."

"We hope that the government of Iran chooses to reciprocate," he added.

CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer reports that the Iranian regime claims that its nuclear program is an established fact now that other countries will have to live with. But, the country seems willing to discuss a surveillance system to reassure the world it isn't building a bomb.

Earlier Wednesday, Iran's hardline president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said his country welcomes talks with the United States if they are based on "honesty, justice and respect," one of the strongest signals yet that Tehran may be prepared to respond positively to Mr. Obama's calls for dialogue.

Yet, at the same time, an Iranian judge ordered Saberi to go to trial. Saberi, who grew up in Fargo, N.D., and is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Iran, has been living in Iran for six years. She has reported from there for several news organizations, including National Public Radio and the British Broadcasting Corp.

An investigative judge involved in the case told state TV that Saberi was passing classified information to U.S. intelligence services, an accusation North Dakota Sen. Kent Conrad said was "very hard to believe."

Clinton said the U.S. was "deeply concerned" by the reported charges and was seeking information from Swiss diplomats in Tehran who represent American interests in the absence of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Clinton did not speak to whether the Saberi case would complicate the administration's outreach efforts, although she repeated a call for her "speedy release and return to her family."

Saberi was one of three missing or detained Americans mentioned in a written message passed by U.S. officials directly to Iranian diplomats last month at an international conference on Afghanistan in The Hague, Netherlands, that Clinton attended. Iran has yet to respond to the message, which sought information about the three and was another break with past U.S. policy

[earth562]

We cannot have a state sponsor of terror, a purveyor of wars all over the world, like the United States be the one to preach to Iran. We have more nukes than anyone else and spend more on "defense" than the whole world put together. Posted by noloyalisti

Thanks for your insight from reading comic books all your life and eating cheetos for breakfast.

Now, go back to your sandbox

[factsearcher]

Hope is coming!!!

Ahmadinejad Rival Calls For Increased Freedoms
TEHRAN, April 6 -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's main opponent in the upcoming presidential election said Monday that he wanted to increase freedoms for Iranians, in part by curbing the so-called morality police who enforce strict interpretations of Islamic laws, such as those requiring women to cover their hair in public.

Former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, speaking at his first news conference since announcing his candidacy for president in the June election, attacked Ahmadinejad's government over its handling of the economy, the "extremism" of the president's rhetoric and the strictures that have been imposed on daily life and public discourse.

Mousavi gave no indication that he would seek to change Iran's foreign or nuclear policies, matters largely controlled by the country's unelected supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and a National Security Council that includes dozens of political leaders.

Mousavi said the current government had caused harm to Iran's international position. "Extremism has damaged us greatly. We have to actively work to earn trust at the international level," he told reporters. Mousavi was referring to tensions that have arisen with Western countries over Ahmadinejad's denial of the Holocaust as well as his anti-Israeli and anti-Western rhetoric. Mousavi did not say what he would do differently.

The candidate accused the government of sometimes acting in an extreme way and then backpedaling. "Extremism has reached such levels that in order to even it out, they have to write useless letters which get no results and only waste our national standing," he said. Ahmadinejad often denounces U.S. policies, but in November he wrote a letter of congratulations to Barack Obama, then president-elect.

Asked if he was ready to negotiate with President Obama, Mousavi said he was hearing a different tone from the United States. "We would benefit from having peaceful and cooperative relations with any country, and the more powerful and the bigger that country, the more we would benefit. But this cannot be at the price of our values and principles. We cannot pay unbearable costs for such relations," he said.

Mousavi was prime minister from 1981 to 1989, serving under then-President Khamenei. Mousavi is admired for the way he managed the country during the Iran-Iraq war, which crippled the Iranian economy. The post of prime minister was abolished after his term.

He is considered a problem-solver and is a strong backer of Iran's system of government, in which Shiite Muslim clerics oversee the policies of elected officials. But Mousavi represents a current in the Iranian leadership that thinks the government's influence on personal matters can go too far.

Mousavi vowed that he would stop controversial morality police restrictions on clothing deemed un-Islamic and allow greater freedom of speech. Social controls are the domain of people, not the government, he said.

"Can a security patrol save our youths?" Mousavi said of sharply increased police operations meant to prevent women from allowing their hair to show in public. "Or can they be saved by the words of a grandfather who talks to his granddaughter?" he asked rhetorically. "I believe in the latter."

The patrols, part of what is known here as the "social security plan," began after Ahmadinejad became president, although his government denies responsibility.

Mousavi also vowed to implement Iran's constitution, which he said was now being "violated and undermined."

"We must create the constitutionally mentioned freedoms -- freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of print, freedom of media and press -- all of course within the framework of our laws."

[factsearcher]

She is being used by Ahjamenad!!!
Plain and simple. But read the article below about his opponent for elections:

Ahmadinejad Rival Calls For Increased Freedoms
TEHRAN, April 6 -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's main opponent in the upcoming presidential election said Monday that he wanted to increase freedoms for Iranians, in part by curbing the so-called morality police who enforce strict interpretations of Islamic laws, such as those requiring women to cover their hair in public.

Former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, speaking at his first news conference since announcing his candidacy for president in the June election, attacked Ahmadinejad's government over its handling of the economy, the "extremism" of the president's rhetoric and the strictures that have been imposed on daily life and public discourse.

Mousavi gave no indication that he would seek to change Iran's foreign or nuclear policies, matters largely controlled by the country's unelected supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and a National Security Council that includes dozens of political leaders.

Mousavi said the current government had caused harm to Iran's international position. "Extremism has damaged us greatly. We have to actively work to earn trust at the international level," he told reporters. Mousavi was referring to tensions that have arisen with Western countries over Ahmadinejad's denial of the Holocaust as well as his anti-Israeli and anti-Western rhetoric. Mousavi did not say what he would do differently.

The candidate accused the government of sometimes acting in an extreme way and then backpedaling. "Extremism has reached such levels that in order to even it out, they have to write useless letters which get no results and only waste our national standing," he said. Ahmadinejad often denounces U.S. policies, but in November he wrote a letter of congratulations to Barack Obama, then president-elect.

Asked if he was ready to negotiate with President Obama, Mousavi said he was hearing a different tone from the United States. "We would benefit from having peaceful and cooperative relations with any country, and the more powerful and the bigger that country, the more we would benefit. But this cannot be at the price of our values and principles. We cannot pay unbearable costs for such relations," he said.

Mousavi was prime minister from 1981 to 1989, serving under then-President Khamenei. Mousavi is admired for the way he managed the country during the Iran-Iraq war, which crippled the Iranian economy. The post of prime minister was abolished after his term.

He is considered a problem-solver and is a strong backer of Iran's system of government, in which Shiite Muslim clerics oversee the policies of elected officials. But Mousavi represents a current in the Iranian leadership that thinks the government's influence on personal matters can go too far.

Mousavi vowed that he would stop controversial morality police restrictions on clothing deemed un-Islamic and allow greater freedom of speech. Social controls are the domain of people, not the government, he said.

"Can a security patrol save our youths?" Mousavi said of sharply increased police operations meant to prevent women from allowing their hair to show in public. "Or can they be saved by the words of a grandfather who talks to his granddaughter?" he asked rhetorically. "I believe in the latter."

The patrols, part of what is known here as the "social security plan," began after Ahmadinejad became president, although his government denies responsibility.

Mousavi also vowed to implement Iran's constitution, which he said was now being "violated and undermined."

"We must create the constitutionally mentioned freedoms -- freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of print, freedom of media and press -- all of course within the framework of our laws."

[noloyalisti]

We cannot have a state sponsor of terror, a purveyor of wars all over the world, like the United States be the one to preach to Iran. We have more nukes than anyone else and spend more on "defense" than the whole world put together.

[abdul91-2009]

It is indeed regrettable that Ms Saberi has been detained in Iran and is set to face trial. Perhaps the effort to rebuild good ties with Iran should focus on this issue and not on the nuclear issue. The US administration has to start afresh and cannot do so if it keeps hammering the same issue about nuclear capabilities with Iran. Ms Saberi is a US citizen. I really believe the US administration should show more concern for its citizens abroad.

[happyass3]

Actually the article states she has been living there for six years so she has been there since 2003, now tell me how our President had anything to do with that.

[johndevinejr]

Are you accusing your beloved Chicken-In-Chief of putting that beautiful girl in danger spying Iran?
Posted by _BaghdadsHere_ at 3:54 AM : Apr 9, 2009


You idiot, she went there in 2006.

Man these repubs are stupid!

[johndevinejr]

It will be the end of him and hopefully weak democrats for a long time.
Posted by irf9 at 5:35 AM : Apr 9, 2009

I have always marveled at the republican appetite for war. Then I realized, most republicans don't serve in the military, nor do their children.

Of course they are brave enough to send the children of others but not theirs.

republicans are too easily frightened by these folks. They tend to panic and lash out at someone, anyone, even if they have to lie so they can attack Iraq. On top of that once they get a war going they are unable to handle it.

We have what we need, intelligent, knowledgable, educated leadership. What a relief after 8 years of ideologues, morons, and criminals.

[johndevinejr]

The Muslim governments are going to make a complete idiot out of Obama. He thinks he can engage in diplomacy with them. They will play him for a fool every time.
Posted by impeachbhb at 6:57 AM : Apr 9, 2009

It is always a good idea to talk to your enemies. George Bush was so stupid he couldn't talk to these people without becoming befuddled.

President Obama and Hillary Clinton are intelligent, educated people who can deal effectively with these people.

It was only because Bush lacked the intelligence to deal with them that he avoided contact.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

[impeachbhb]

The Muslim governments are going to make a complete idiot out of Obama. He thinks he can engage in diplomacy with them. They will play him for a fool every time.