The Bush administration questioned on Wednesday the motives of
Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in approving
US-proposed talks on Iraq, but did not shut the door entirely.
"It is a matter of curious timing," State Department spokesman
Sean McCormack said, suggesting Iran was trying to deflect
international pressure from its nuclear programs now under critical
discussion at the United Nations.
While a "channel" for communication between the United States
and Iran remains open, he said, no meetings have been
scheduled.
Khamenei's statement on Tuesday was the first confirmation that
he supports having talks. He also warned the United States must not
try to "bully" Iran.
President Bush months ago initiated a diplomatic effort to hold
talks with Iran over its activities in Iraq. The administration
considers Iran meddlesome and accuses it of supporting insurgent
militia with weapons.
When Iran last week signaled its willingness to talk, however,
Bush's national security adviser, Steven J. Hadley, dismissed the
overture as a play designed to divert pressure and attention from
nuclear programs the United States and its European allies charge
are designed to develop nuclear weapons.
In similar reaction on Wednesday, McCormack said: "I find it
very interesting that the Iranian regime has chosen this particular
time to seek to communicate with the United States government
through this channel of communication, where this channel of
communication has been open for some time."
The spokesman went on: "We think it has more to do with Iran's
desire to decrease the pressure on the regime and to divert
attention from the ongoing discussions about the topic of Iran's
nuclear program that we're watching unfold up in New York.
"We think it has more to do with that and less to do with an
actual desire to communicate with the United States government on
issues concerning Iraq."
(Chinadaily.com via agencies March 23, 2006)
