Slowly, US and Iran Prepare for Direct Talks

Tentative Framework Being Set Out

The United States is drawing close to holding its first direct talks with an Iranian government since the Iranian Revolution, and according to some reports the two sides have parts of a tentative framework for the talks in place.

A solid 30-plus years of threatening to attack Iran has made direct talks a difficult process, but officials say that it is possible that the talks are going to be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings later this month.

Recently inaugurated President Hassan Rohani plans to address the UN on September 24, and that occasion would certainly be a convenient time to hold a meeting of some sort.

At the same time, the IAEA meetings this month will complicate the process, as US officials are set to angrily condemn Iran whatever the report ends up saying, and portray it as proof that Iran isn’t cooperating, even though it will say what it always does, that the IAEA can verify the non-diversion of Iran’s civilian-enriched uranium to any non-civilian purpose.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.