Iran hopeful on US talks as chance of attack 'zero'

THE Iranian foreign minister yesterday dismissed the prospect of the US or Israel attacking the country over its controversial nuclear programme.

Manouchehr Mottaki was speaking ahead of today's crucial talks in Geneva which will see the US sitting face-to-face with Iranian nuclear officials for the first time.

Mr Mottaki painted a picture of optimism for the talks, saying he thought there could be a positive outcome. Tensions have been rising recently, particularly with Israel and the US.

Speaking in Turkey, he said he saw almost no possibility of Israel or the US attacking his country over its disputed atomic programme.

"The possibility of such an attack is almost zero.

"It (Israel] is still going through the post-effects of its defeat in Lebanon," he said, referring to the 2006 war Israel launched against Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas. "There's nothing left from the (prime minister Ehud] Olmert period, so the Israelis know what's going to happen," he added.

Mr Mottaki also said that the US was not in a position to attack Iran because it would be financially too costly.

"The US is not in a position to impose tax on people from whom it already receives taxes … therefore we don't see any possibility of such an attack (from them]," he said.

The most significant diplomatic encounter between Iran and the US in nearly three decades takes place in Geneva, raising hopes that the confrontation over Tehran's nuclear programme will be resolved peacefully.

William Burns, a top US State Department official, will join representatives of five allied powers at a meeting between Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, and Saeed Jalili, Iran's top nuclear negotiator.

It marks a major policy shift by the US, which has tried to isolate the Islamic Republic and persistently ruled out direct contact with Iran on the nuclear issue unless Tehran first suspends uranium enrichment. In a surprise twin gesture, the US has confirmed it is considering the establishment of a diplomatic presence in Tehran for the first time in 28 years.

Iran yesterday welcomed both American overtures and added the two countries could also reach agreement on establishing direct air links. "If negotiations continue in this way, I hope there will be a positive outcome," said Mr Mottaki.

European powers, which have for years led the diplomatic drive to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions, are delighted by the US engagement.

The diplomatic dalliance follows weeks of rising military tensions between Iran on the one side and the US and Israel on the other. The fury of hawks in Washington is the most concrete evidence that Washington has changed its Iran policy. John Bolton, the US former UN envoy, scoffed at the Bush administration's "intellectual collapse" in reaching out to Tehran, which he branded a "sell-out".

But Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, said Mr Burns's presence at today's meeting proves the US is committed to a diplomatic solution and is "firmly behind the effort of our allies". Mr Burns said there had been a "long history of missed opportunities and crossed signals" between Iran and the US.

He will expect to hear more details from the Iranian delegation on Tehran's response to a package of incentives that Mr Solana hand-delivered to Iran last month on behalf of the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. The deal includes economic and political incentives as well as a pledge to help Iran with a civilian nuclear programme – all provided Tehran suspends uranium enrichment.

Iranian leaders initially rejected that condition as a "red line" they would not cross, but the proposals triggered a keen debate in the regime in Tehran.

The Geneva talks will focus on a mechanism that would pave the way for a face-saving deal.

Iraq seeks pull-out timeline

THE United States and Iraq have agreed to seek "a general time horizon" for deeper reductions in American combat troops in Iraq. As violence decreases, Iraqi officials have been pressurising America to agree to a timeline to withdraw its forces.

The US president, George Bush, has adamantly opposed a timeline, and the White House said yesterday that the timeframe being discussed would not be "an arbitrary date for withdrawal". Mr Bush and Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq's prime minister, talked about timing as part of discussions over a broader agreement to keep US troops in Iraq after a UN mandate expires on 31 December.

Iraq has proposed requiring US forces to withdraw fully five years after it takes the lead on security nationwide, although that condition could take years.