Iran Rejects Direct US Conditional talks

Mehran Riazaty: Iran Analyst

Tonight, right after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said "As soon as Iran fully and verifiably suspends its enrichment and reprocessing activities, the United States will come to the table with our EU-3 colleagues and meet with Iran's representatives," Fars News Agency reported that Kazem Jalali, the spokesman for the Iran parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said that the root of the US talks with Iran is positive, but Iran will reject any direct talks in which the US sets any preconditions. Jalali added, in the pass the Islamic Republic had constantly announced that will not dispense its nuclear right.

Earlier today, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Hamid Reza Asefi declared that his country's preparedness for attending unconditional talks. He stressed that Tehran is demanding a peaceful solution to the issue, but meantime added that Iran may never attend negotiations under threats or conditions. He said talks should be conducted on the basis of mutual respect, and continued, "Iran is prepared to attend talks under such conditions," adding that previous talks have also been conducted under the same conditions. Regarding the postures of the US, he reminded that the United States must try to solve its own problems, "we believe that the United States' problems are intrinsic, because we have so far heard many different and sometimes contradictory statements from them." The Spokesman further reiterated that there reside no proper grounds for the arrangement of talks between the United States and Iran due to the existing controversial views and contradictory statements of the US officials.

Mehran Riazaty: a former Iran analyst for the Central Command of the Coalition Forces in Baghdad.

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