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New push for direct talks between US and Iran As major powers struggle to curtail Iran's nuclear ambitions, the United States is coming under fresh pressure to engage in direct talks with the Islamic republic and avoid an Iraq-like path to war. The Bush administration has so far resisted, partly because of the bitter legacy of US-Iranian relations dating to the 1979 Islamic revolution, when radical students seized the US Embassy in Tehran and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. But a lack of viable alternatives may make negotiations -- with Tehran alone or together with Britain, France, Germany and others -- more and more appealing. The US military is already stretched in its war on terrorism, the international community is deeply suspicious of Washington's intentions, and President George W. Bush's popularity has been undercut by the lack of success in Iraq. At the same time, Iran's acceleration of its nuclear work, Washington's refusal to rule out force, and the failure of European diplomacy have stoked international anxiety. "It is now time for us to talk directly to Iran," Madeleine Albright, who was secretary of state under President Bill Clinton, told Reuters Television this week. "I do not see talking as appeasement and I think it would show our willingness to resolve an issue diplomatically -- obviously with the support of the international community." German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung recently said it would be hard to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough without direct Washington-Tehran contacts. Many others -- including Mohammed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency and influential Senate Republican Richard Lugar -- also urge dialogue. Iran feels encircled by US forces and "one has to be blind and dumb not to see that all the pressure has united every faction in Iran, including reformers, behind the nuclear program," said a senior diplomat in Vienna familiar with IAEA operations in Iran who was not authorized to speak for the record. "Where is the logic of not talking if the Americans can talk to North Korea," he said. SECURITY COUNCIL POLITICS The United States, Britain and France on Wednesday asked the U.N. Security Council to demand that Iran halt uranium enrichment. The West says it is aimed at nuclear weapons production, while Tehran insists it is only to make energy. If Russia and China could be persuaded to back this resolution, some Europeans see the prospect that the United States could join them, Russia and China in talks with Iran. "Our ideal is that the EU3 (Britain, France and Germany) plus the United States, Russia and China would come together and present Iran with a package of options," with two paths -- isolation or integration, a European diplomat told Reuters. "The administration has deep, deep reservations about this but hasn't absolutely ruled it out," the diplomat said. White House spokesman Scott McClellan publicly played down the idea of nuclear talks with Iran and stressed the need for increasing pressure on the government. However, Bush has authorized US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad in Iraq to hold talks with Iran on what Washington says is meddling there by the Islamic republic. US and European officials told Reuters Khalilzad has latitude to "listen" if Iran brings up the nuclear issue. Many analysts view this as a test opening to a broader dialogue. But the talks have not taken place and some analysts say this reflects internal administration divisions on Iran. US officials insist Khalilzad is waiting for Iraq's new government to take office before opening contacts with Tehran. Gary Samore, President Bill Clinton's top nonproliferation adviser, said Iran could have a nuclear weapon within five years and the best the international community can do through diplomacy is buy time, he said. But to do that, Washington and its allies must persuade Russia and China to back stronger UN measures and to do that, Washington should "offer to negotiate with Iran as part of multilateral negotiations," Samore told the Centre for National Policy think tank. ---------------------------------------------------
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