EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton issued a statement on Friday making clear that a diplomatic path remained open to Iran.
“The EU3+3 (UK, France, Germany plus US, China and Russia) has always been clear about the validity of the dual track approach,” said Ashton. “We are waiting for the Iranian reaction.” [Reuters, 21 January].
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stuck a conciliatory tone at a news conference with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle in Washington.
“We do not seek conflict. We strongly believe the people of Iran deserve a better future,” Clinton said. “They can have that future, the country can be reintegrated into the global community when their government definitively turns away from pursuing nuclear weapons… We have to see a seriousness and sincerity of purpose coming from them.” [Reuters, 21 January].
Westerwelle said, “One thing is clear: the door for serious dialogue remains open but the option of nuclear weapons in Iran is not acceptable.”
China’s news agency Xinhua today quoted China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Hailong as saying that Iran is “willing to resume talks and to strengthen cooperation with IAEA.” He had made the comments after his meeting with a visiting Iranian delegation headed by Supreme National Security Council Deputy Secretary Ali Baqeri.
I dislike the name "Major Powers"
ReplyDeleteThey are declining powers and are like the 5 NY mafia families.
Iran seems one of the only bastions of independence.
What can the U.S. offer? Even the president of the United States can't lift many of the sanctions with Congress, and the latter is in tow with AIPAC. There is no way AIPAC is going to allow an economically vibrant and independent Iran.
ReplyDeleteIts a show, Iran should get ready for the physical conflict across the region (including Azarbayjan).
ReplyDeleteim pretty sure iran will cave in which will mean some of the sanctions will be lifted and the nuclear program will have to be stopped well one thing i hope is iran punishes china by giving all the contracts to western or non Chinese contractors and diverting oil sales away from china so there oil is more expensive
ReplyDeleteThe Mafia 5 talks with Iran to ask it to let it win at least in Afghanistan
ReplyDeleteIran will not "cave in" at any talks with the Europeans.
ReplyDeleteThey will be agree to nothing except further consideration.
Nothing is more central to the honor of Iran than the furtherance of the nuclear weapons program and the weapons that Khamenei says must not be built.
Why are they called "major powers"?? Is it because they all have nuclear weapons or declining economies?? Who elected them "major powers" over other nations???
ReplyDeleteThis dog and pony show must end at some point...Iran keeps getting punished for cooperates with the IAEA while other non-IAEA states get a free pass. This nonsense must stop at some point. It can't continue for much longer.
For me, I think Iran will be better served by getting out of the NPT and detonating a nuclear device..Let the world deal with it. If the world managed to live with a nuclear India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel etc (All non NPT members). I'm sure they'll be able to live with a nuclear Iran.
Meanwhile let the "major powers" keep barking.