Iran Agrees To Diplomatic Talks

The Islamic Republic of Iran is attempting to try to defuse the tensions between their country and the United States by agreeing to official meetings which have been rare since the 1979 hostage crisis.

The White House welcomed the Iranian participation, which was solicited by the U.S. ambassador in Baghdad, Zalmay Khalilzad, and urged by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, a Shiite leader in Iraq with close ties to Tehran.

Stephen J. Hadley, President Bush's national security adviser, said Khalilzad had been authorized to talk to the Iranians about their interference in Iraq "and make that concern known, recognizing that in the end of the day, it is not a negotiation." Hadley added that Iranian activity in Iraq "is giving comfort and, in some case, equipment to terrorists that are killing Iraqis and killing coalition forces. And that is what we have made very clear is unacceptable."

I have been searching the text of the Iranian acceptance of the diplomatic talks, yet I fail to see the part where Iran used the words "Iran's interference in Iraq." More likely from the Iranians point of view is that negotiations discussions will center on the "U.S. interference in Iraq."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last year authorized Khalilzad to hold direct talks with Iran about Iraq, but the Iranians wanted to include other issues in the discussions, a senior State Department official said...

Iranian and U.S. diplomats have coordinated on regional conflicts in recent years. Tehran sent representatives to Germany for a conference that the United States convened to plan for Afghanistan's transition following the 2001 U.S.-led invasion. Iranian diplomats continued to meet with U.S. officials in Geneva and Paris in the run-up to the Iraq war, albeit secretly after Bush included Iran in the "axis of evil" he described in his January 2002 State of the Union address.

The governments exchanged information on hundreds of Arab fighters who fled Afghanistan into Iran, including a handful of senior al-Qaeda officials whom Iran offered to exchange for Iranian guerrillas in U.S. custody in Iraq. The guerrillas had tried to overthrow the Iranian government.

Bush eventually rejected the offer, a decision that infuriated the Iranians and marred the secret talks.

The Bush administration has authorized an information operation aimed at Iran using CIA and military psychological warfare officers.

In addition, the Bush administration this month announced a $75 million initiative to advance democracy in Iran by expanding broadcasting into the country, funding nongovernmental organizations and promoting cultural exchanges.

The cultural exchange is intended to help spread American values.

The first emissaries are rumored to be the Pussycat Dolls opening for Toby Keith. Some Stock Car racers will be on hand to sign autographs and pass out samples from their corporate sponsors.

That tour will be followed up by Britney Spears, and her opening act, Lindsay Lohan.