Iran watching US policies in Afghanistan: foreign minister

[Turborama]

Source: AFP

30 minutes ago

TOKYO (AFP) – Iran is monitoring US foreign policy in countries such as Afghanistan to see if improved ties under President Barack Obama might be possible, its foreign minister told Japanese media.

Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran welcomed Obama's emphasis on dialogue but added that his government would need more detail on US intentions abroad before reviewing Tehran's relationship with Washington.

"Now we are studying what (are) the practical policies of the United States, towards Afghanistan, for example," Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in an interview with Japan's public broadcaster NHK, aired on Saturday.

"What (are) they going to do? Is it a military-based approach?" asked Mottaki, who was in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum.

Mottaki said Iran would negotiate on its nuclear programme under the correct circumstances, NHK reported, without showing the relevant footage.

=snip=

Senior diplomats from six world powers trying to convince Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions will gather next week in Germany for their first meeting since Obama took office on January 20, a German official said Friday.

Political directors from the UN Security Council permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany will meet Wednesday near the western city of Frankfurt, German foreign ministry spokesman Jens Ploetner told a news conference.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090131/wl_sthasia_afp/iranusdiplomacynuclear_20090131104723

[ohio2007]

1. Iran says Obama's offer to talk shows US failure

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad senses 'weakness' in Barack

US President Barack Obama's offer to talk to Iran shows that America's policy of "domination" has failed, the government spokesman said on Saturday.
"This request means Western ideology has become passive, that capitalist thought and the system of domination have failed," Gholam Hossein Elham was quoted as saying by the Mehr news agency.

"Negotiation is secondary, the main issue is that there is no way but for (the United States) to change," he added.

After nearly three decades of severed ties, Obama said shortly after taking office this month that he is willing to extend a diplomatic hand to Tehran if the Islamic republic is ready to "unclench its fist".

In response, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched a fresh tirade against the United States, demanding an apology for its "crimes" against Iran and saying he expected "deep and fundamental" change from Obama.

snip
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.073ba2ee2f1f00668848a4655420fedc.411&show_article=1

Open hand ? ! ?!




jmo