Friday
Mar202009
Iran Responds to Obama New Year Message
Friday, March 20, 2009 at 17:58
Related Post: Three Degrees Of Engagement - The Obama Message To Iran
Earlier today, we projected a three-step process to interpret the course of "engagement" raised by President Obama's message to the Iranian people and leaders. Specifically, we cautioned:
"Obama’s message raises the prospect of a genuine negotiation, yet the pointed challenge to Iranian leaders to show that they are peaceful also indicates that Washington wants the higher ground from the start of talks. In itself, that general position is to be expected. It is also to be expected, however, that Iran will portray itself as the peaceful party and ask the US to mend its past ways.
Well, Step 2 --- Iran Responds --- is following that script exactly:
Meanwhile, Iranian energy minister, Parviz Fattah, was telling the World Water Forum that Tehran would "finish and operate" the Bushehr nuclear plant by the end of the year: "Iran has chosen a direction for achieving peaceful nuclear energy. We have mainly reached this aim."
All very expected: on the one hand, Iran is welcoming the prospect of talks with the US. On the other hand, it is setting out clear lines that it does not want crossed --- specifically, Iranian sovereignty over a nuclear energy programme.
So, within 24 hours, on to Step 3: "What is important is that Washington does not follow Obama’s message by trying to box Iran in on issues such as the nuclear programme, Israel-Palestine, Lebanon, and general relations with the Arab world."
Earlier today, we projected a three-step process to interpret the course of "engagement" raised by President Obama's message to the Iranian people and leaders. Specifically, we cautioned:"Obama’s message raises the prospect of a genuine negotiation, yet the pointed challenge to Iranian leaders to show that they are peaceful also indicates that Washington wants the higher ground from the start of talks. In itself, that general position is to be expected. It is also to be expected, however, that Iran will portray itself as the peaceful party and ask the US to mend its past ways.
Well, Step 2 --- Iran Responds --- is following that script exactly:
Aliakbar Javanfekr, an aide to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said Iran welcomed "the interest of the American government to settle differences".
But he said that the US government "should realise its previous mistakes and make an effort to amend them".
Meanwhile, Iranian energy minister, Parviz Fattah, was telling the World Water Forum that Tehran would "finish and operate" the Bushehr nuclear plant by the end of the year: "Iran has chosen a direction for achieving peaceful nuclear energy. We have mainly reached this aim."
All very expected: on the one hand, Iran is welcoming the prospect of talks with the US. On the other hand, it is setting out clear lines that it does not want crossed --- specifically, Iranian sovereignty over a nuclear energy programme.
So, within 24 hours, on to Step 3: "What is important is that Washington does not follow Obama’s message by trying to box Iran in on issues such as the nuclear programme, Israel-Palestine, Lebanon, and general relations with the Arab world."