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US skeptical of Iran offer on Iraq talks
White House national security adviser Stephen Hadley expressed skepticism on Friday about Iran's offer to talk to the United States about Iraq, saying it may be an attempt to divert pressure over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Hadley told a group of reporters his concern was that the Iran offer was "simply a device by the Iranians to divert pressure that they are feeling in New York," where members of the U.N. Security Council are debating a statement aimed at reining in Iran's nuclear program.The United States offered last November to hold talks with Iran about U.S. allegations that Iranians were shipping components for homemade bombs into Iraq for use against Iraqi and U.S. targets and otherwise acting to provoke instability. Iran initially rejected the offer. But Tehran shifted course on Thursday and said it was willing to open a dialogue with the United States on Iraq. Hadley said the United States was still prepared to hold talks with Iran but reiterated they would be limited to U.S. concerns that Iran was stirring up trouble in Iraq, not used as a way to open negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, would be the U.S. representative for any such talks. Hadley said that by offering to open a dialogue with Washington, Iran appeared to be "trying to drive a wedge between the United States" and its allies at a time when the international community is trying to stay united and force Iran to give up its nuclear program. Washington and its allies will not let that happen, he said. His comments appeared to be an effort to tamp down any expectation that Washington and Tehran were on the brink of a breakthrough in icy relations. Posted by: Pappy 2006-03-18 |
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