US tells Iran 'time running out'
The US government has sent a strong message to Iran, saying it is running out of time to engage in dialogue over its nuclear programme to avoid further isolation or even military action.
Warning that Washington would only grant Iran a limited amount of time to respond to its offer to hold talks, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, said: "The choice is clear: we remain ready to engage with Iran, but the time for action is now. The opportunity will not remain open indefinitely."
In an address to the Council of Foreign Relations in Washington on Wednesday, Clinton said "Iran does not have a right to nuclear military capacity and we are determined to prevent that".
But she added that Tehran "does have a right to civil nuclear power, if it re-establishes the confidence of the international community that it uses its programmes exclusively for peaceful purposes".
"Iran can become a constructive actor in the region if it stops threatening its neighbours and supporting terrorism. It can assume a responsible position in the international community if it fulfils its obligations on human rights," she said.
Military option
Clinton also used robust language on the strength of the US military in her address, suggesting that Washington is not averse to the use of force should diplomacy fail.
Blake Hounshell, managing editor of Foreign Policy magazine, said "there was not a lot of subtlety" in her speech, "underscoring the fact that the US does have military options".
"Clinton said that the US prefers diplomacy but 'don't think that the United States is a pushover'," he added.
The US, Israel and European Union member countries have repeatedly accused Iran of driving its uranium enrichment programme towards building a nuclear weapon.
Tehran has denied the claims, saying that its nuclear work is aimed at generating electricity.
Growing pessimism
Hounshell said Clinton's message to Iran indicated the Obama administration had grown pessimistic on the chance of direct talks with Tehran.
"What you are now seeing from the administration is that they are prepping the ground for a new round of sanctions at the UN Security Council level if Iran does not respond to the US offer [of direct talks]," he said.
The informal deadline for Iran to agree to direct talks with the US is the United Nations General Assembly meeting in late September.
The five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, France, Britain, Russia and China – along with Germany, have already offered Iran the chance to enter dialogue on its nuclear programme.
Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran's foreign minister, had said on Saturday that his ministry was preparing a "package" in response to that offer.
However, Tehran may try to split the UN Security Council permanent members, Hounshell said.
"What I expect Iran to do is divide and conquer – to try to do just enough to make China and Russia happy, but not quite enough to satisfy France, Britain and the United States," he said.
Clinton also covered Middle East peace efforts and the US role in the global economy during her wide-ranging foreign policy address.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/07/2009716216762931...
Warning that Washington would only grant Iran a limited amount of time to respond to its offer to hold talks, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, said: "The choice is clear: we remain ready to engage with Iran, but the time for action is now. The opportunity will not remain open indefinitely."
In an address to the Council of Foreign Relations in Washington on Wednesday, Clinton said "Iran does not have a right to nuclear military capacity and we are determined to prevent that".
But she added that Tehran "does have a right to civil nuclear power, if it re-establishes the confidence of the international community that it uses its programmes exclusively for peaceful purposes".
"Iran can become a constructive actor in the region if it stops threatening its neighbours and supporting terrorism. It can assume a responsible position in the international community if it fulfils its obligations on human rights," she said.
Military option
Clinton also used robust language on the strength of the US military in her address, suggesting that Washington is not averse to the use of force should diplomacy fail.
Blake Hounshell, managing editor of Foreign Policy magazine, said "there was not a lot of subtlety" in her speech, "underscoring the fact that the US does have military options".
"Clinton said that the US prefers diplomacy but 'don't think that the United States is a pushover'," he added.
The US, Israel and European Union member countries have repeatedly accused Iran of driving its uranium enrichment programme towards building a nuclear weapon.
Tehran has denied the claims, saying that its nuclear work is aimed at generating electricity.
Growing pessimism
Hounshell said Clinton's message to Iran indicated the Obama administration had grown pessimistic on the chance of direct talks with Tehran.
"What you are now seeing from the administration is that they are prepping the ground for a new round of sanctions at the UN Security Council level if Iran does not respond to the US offer [of direct talks]," he said.
The informal deadline for Iran to agree to direct talks with the US is the United Nations General Assembly meeting in late September.
The five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, France, Britain, Russia and China – along with Germany, have already offered Iran the chance to enter dialogue on its nuclear programme.
Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran's foreign minister, had said on Saturday that his ministry was preparing a "package" in response to that offer.
However, Tehran may try to split the UN Security Council permanent members, Hounshell said.
"What I expect Iran to do is divide and conquer – to try to do just enough to make China and Russia happy, but not quite enough to satisfy France, Britain and the United States," he said.
Clinton also covered Middle East peace efforts and the US role in the global economy during her wide-ranging foreign policy address.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/07/2009716216762931...
Comment
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Comment by Tara on July 17, 2009 at 4:06pm
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Secret US-Israeli meeting to focus on Iran
Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:40:17 GMT
Amid reports that Israel is preparing to bomb Iranian nuclear sites, political heavyweights in Washington and Tel Aviv make plans for a secret get-together.
Ria Novosti reported on Friday that US Defense Secretary Robert Gates is planning to visit Tel Aviv within the next two weeks to discuss a whole range of international issues, including Tehran's nuclear case, in secret meetings with the Netanyahu government.
US Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, will reportedly accompany Gates.
The secret meetings come at a time when two Israeli warships, the Hanit and the Eliat, sailed through the Suez Canal within cruise-missile range of Iran earlier in the week.
A senior Israeli defense official, in a Thursday interview with the Times, said the move should be seen as serious preparations for a long-expected Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites.
"This is preparation that should be taken seriously. Israel is investing time in preparing itself for the complexity of an attack on Iran," said the Israeli defense official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity.
"These maneuvers are a message to Iran that Israel will follow up on its threats," he added.
The move came ten days after a submarine -- believed to be nuclear-armed -- made a similar crossing and headed from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has brought Israel closer to war with Iran, ever-since he made his politiical comeback in February.
Tel Aviv, the possessor of the sole nuclear arsenal in the Middle East, accuses Iran of secretly enriching weapons-grade uranium to attack Israel. Tehran has asserted that its uranium enrichment is a peaceful drive to produce electricity.
Washington has so far remained undecided in its response to speculations that Israel is gearing up for go-it-alone air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Vice President Joe Biden, in a recent interview, openly suggested that Washington would not stand in the way of an Israeli attack on Iran.
"Israel can determine for itself... what's in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else," Biden said. "We cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do when they make a determination -- if they make a determination -- that they're existentially threatened."
The remarks were widely interpreted as a long-sought green light for Israel to go ahead and take out Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
US President Barack Obama was quick to make an attempt to correct the impression, saying that he opposed military action against Iran and instead wanted a diplomatic solution to the nuclear standoff.
SBB/MMN
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=100941§ionid=351020104
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Comment by mikextx on July 17, 2009 at 11:32am
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Clinton is a warmonger just like Bolton,and Israel evidently sent 2 warships through the Suez Canal,so they may be gearing up for this war with Iran.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=100847§ionid=351020202
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