by Jerome a Paris
Fri Apr 7th, 2006 at 09:01:35 AM EST
A self explanatory headline from the Financial Times, with a similarly depressing article:
Iran has prepared a high-level delegation to hold wide-ranging talks with the US, but the Bush administration is resisting the agenda suggested by Tehran despite pressure from European allies to engage the Islamic republic, Iranian politicians have told the Financial Times.
(...)
Iran’s willingness to engage the US on Iraq, regional security and the nuclear issue, is believed to have the approval of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It represents the most serious attempt by the Islamic republic to reach out to the US since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
(...)
“Pressure and threats do not resolve problems. Finding solutions requires political will and a readiness to engage in serious negotiations. Iran is ready. We hope the rest of the world will join us,” [Javad Zarif, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations] said.
(...)
Meanwhile, the US rhetoric is sounding tougher by the week. Nicholas Burns, under secretary of state, yesterday accused Iran of being “expansionist”, “a central banker of terrorism” and directing attacks on US citizens.
Apart from the erroneous claim that this is the first major attempt since 1979 (we've discussed the 2003 attempt not long ago), this article seems to show conclusively that the Iranians really want to hold serious talks with the Americans, that the Europeans are fully supportive of these efforts, and that the Americans are not only reluctant, but actively resisting such efforts (calling Iran "expansionist" pretty much takes the cake for bad faith and projection...).
It's time for all sane governments of the planet to call the American administration on its insane warmongering policies.