At First Glance, It's History in the Making.

At first glance, it's history in the making. The US is willing to meet face to face with Iran for the first time in 27 years. This is a position that this blog has long called for the US to adopt.

It's being hailed as a victory for the pragmatists and a defeat for Cheney and Rumsfeld. But is it?

The precondition to the US taking part in any talks is that Iran must first suspend the enrichment of uranium that is it's right under international law. This is the one right that the Iranians have refused to concede.

So, in order to have talks with Washington, you must first give up all your rights under international law.

Washington's position is undeniably a break with the past and, in many ways, an acceptance of the reality on the ground that there is no military solution to the Iranian problem. However, is it reasonable? No, it is not.

There is no reason why the US cannot hold talks with Iran whilst it's enrichment of Uranium continues. After all, the question is not whether or not Iran can legally carry out such a process, we all accept that this is her right under the nuclear non-proliferation programme, the issue is whether we can verify that she does not intend to take that enrichment process further and build a bomb.

It's a clever move by the US, but it looks to me like a move that is designed to be rejected in order that the US can persuade Russia and China to take part in future sanctions.

Although I have no great faith that either the Russians or the Chinese will agree to the kind of sanctions that the US would wish to impose.

The US is actually in a very similar position to the one that preceded the invasion of Iraq. She continues to assume the very worst with no proof at all to back her contentions.

Condaleeza Rice: The pursuit by the Iranian regime of nuclear weapons represents a direct threat to the entire international community, including to the United States and to the Persian Gulf region.

The reaction from Iran has been, understandably, frosty:

Iran's official state news agency, Irna, dismissed the offer as propaganda. "It's evident that the Islamic Republic of Iran only accepts proposals and conditions that meet the interests of the nation and the country. Halting enrichment definitely doesn't meet such interests," the agency said. "Given the insistence by Iranian authorities on continuing uranium enrichment, Rice's comments can be considered a propaganda move."

However, the carrot being dangled is that the US is willing to talk about other things as well as the nuclear issue:

Condaleeza Rice: “we have many issues of concern with Iran that do not relate to the nuclear issue. ... Iranian behavior in Iraq... the terrorism that Iran continues to support...”

Dear God, the Iranians must be falling over themselves to take part in those talks, eh? "Give up all your rights and we'll talk to you about your terrorist activities."

This is George Bush's government being "reasonable." The liberal papers that are this morning hailing this as a victory for pragmatism are singing from a Republican song sheet.

Bush and Rice have undeniably made a groundbreaking offer, but it is not a reasonable one.

You cannot hold talks in which your opponent has to concede everything before those talks can take place.

Tags: US, Iran, talks, Nuclear, Bush, Ahmadinejad, sanctions, military, strikes, war, Condaleeza, Rice, talks,