Comprehensive U.S. Talks Possible – Iran FM

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said today that direct, comprehensive talks with the U.S. were possible. He added that the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has to approve such talks. He did not elaborate if Khamenei will approve them. (IRNA, 3 December)



Salehi made the remarks in direct response to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s comments on Friday that the U.S. is ready to hold talks if Tehran were “ready to engage.”



“Should Iran finally be ready to engage in serious negotiations, we are ready,” Clinton said. “When Iran is prepared to take confidence-building measures that are verifiable, we are prepared to reciprocate,” she added. (Reuters, 1 December)


 
Photo: Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi (Reuters)

U.S. Open to Talks with Iran - Clinton

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the U.S. is open to bilateral talks if Iran is “ever ready.” Clinton made the comments on Friday speaking to a group of officials, experts and diplomats from the United States and the Middle East.

“We are working on the P5+1 and making our willingness known that we are ready to have a bilateral discussion if they are every ready to engage,” Clinton said. (Reuters, 1 December)

Clinton said the P5+1 was trying to craft a proposal to Iran “that does make it clear we are running out of time. We have got to get serious; here are issues we are willing to discuss with you but we expect reciprocity.”

Clinton also called Iran the hardest issue she has dealt with as secretary of state “because of the dangers that its behavior already poses and the geometrically greater danger that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose.” 

Israel, Hamas Agree to Cease-Fire

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire effective at 9 pm local time (2 pm EST). Egypt’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Ami made the announcement at a news joint conference with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to President Obama, telling him that he has agreed to give Egyptian-brokered cease-fire a chance to succeed. Obama reportedly commended Netanyahu for agreeing to the cease-fire.

UPDATE: The cease-fire takes effect at 9 pm local time.

IDF Strikes Gaza; Rocket Explosion Kills Two Israelis

Reports of an imminent ceasefire proved to have been overly optimistic Tuesday night, Times of Israel said. The IDF continued intense strikes in Gaza targeting Hamas. Meanwhile a Palestinian Fajr-5 rocket killed an Israeli soldier and a civilian in Rishon Lezion, bringing the number of Israelis killed by rocket attacks to five. Nearly 140 Palestinians have also lost their lives as the result of Israeli airstrikes.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Israel tonight on the first leg of her Middle East visit that will also take her to Ramallah and Cairo. Clinton called for “just and lasting peace” in a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Earlier today the Egyptian and Hamas leaders had predicted a ceasefire on Tuesday. The diplomats, including Secretary Clinton, will be busy attempting to arrange the ceasefire on Wednesday. 

Clinton to Visit Israel, Palestine

Sharp Criticism in Region of Israeli Attack on Gaza

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton today is heading to the Mideast on an emergency diplomatic trip. Clinton’s trip comes after the leaders of Turkey and Egypt sharply criticized Israel for its continued attack on Gaza. Clinton will meet with Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian officials in an attempt to end the fighting.

On Monday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described Israel as a “terrorist state” and condemned the airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has warned Israel against a ground invasion of Gaza and thrown his support behind Hamas’s leadership.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also is to travel to Gaza today with a group of foreign ministers from the Arab League.

U.S. Drops Mujahedeen from Terrorism List

But Underscores Concerns About MKO

The U.S. State Department today formally removed the Iranian dissident group Mujahedeen-e Khalq Organization (MKO) from its official list of terrorist organizations.

State Department announced today that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took the decision in view of the MKO's public renunciation of violence, the absence of confirmed acts of terrorism by the MKO for more than a decade, and their cooperation in the peaceful closure of their paramilitary base in Iraq.

But the State Department also underscored concerns about the group.

“With today's actions, the Department does not overlook or forget the MEK's (MKO’s) past acts of terrorism, including its involvement in the killing of U.S. citizens in Iran in the 1970s and an attack on U.S. soil in 1992,” the State Department statement said.

“The Department also has serious concerns about the MEK (MKO) as an organization, particularly with regard to allegations of abuse committed against its own members.”