US To Set Up Diplomatic Mission In Iran: Report

It's like The Telegraph didn't write about it last month... Reuters is reporting today that British paper, The Guardian, says the US will set up a diplomatic mission in Tehran. Below is an excerpt from today's unsourced report. Here's The Telegraph's report from June that says the US is "considering" diplomatic missions.

The US plans to establish a diplomatic presence in Tehran for the first time in 30 years as part of a remarkable turnaround in policy by President George Bush.

The Guardian has learned that an announcement will be made in the next month to establish a US interests section - a halfway house to setting up a full embassy. The move will see US diplomats stationed in the country.

What makes this latest report from The Guardian more believable than The Telegraph's? Well for starters, recently the Bush Administration has been making good on its double-talk by announcing that it will send senior State Department official, William Burns, to hear out Tehran in Switzerland this weekend. The Guardian points out the blatant contradiction between Bush's rhetoric and the action's his administration has been taking:

"Burns is to sit at the table with Iranian officials despite Bush repeatedly ruling out direct talks on the nuclear issue until Iran suspends its uranium enrichment programme, which is a possible first step on the way to a nuclear weapon capability."

And according to the Reuters article,

Senior U.S. diplomat William Burns said in testimony to Congress last week the United States was looking to opening up an interest section in Tehran but had not made a decision yet.

The Telegraph also notes that, "Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, said the idea had been floated within her department for several months."

This all comes at three days after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said talks with the US could happen "in the near future."

Comments

[StillAmused]

Hope they remember to pass the new mission's coordinates along to the bombing mappers in Cheney's shop... that sort of 'friendly fire' plays very badly in the press.

[deminmo]

So, we are taking out Iran. We are not taking out Iran.
Israel is taking out Iran. Now they aren't. We are sorta
going to think about an embassy in Iran, But maybe start
with a practice one first.
We also want to find out if Iran has accepted our latest
non-sanctions. Yea, I think I get it, Bush is keeping his
options open.

[DMcD]

Bushco is 'up to' something here , thats for sure -------- peace ? Nah !
A prelude to war ? Maybe !

I wouldn't want to be one of the chosen 'diplomats' deployed there -- they may just be pawns , in hopes that they will be held hostage (like Carters problem) and thereby , provide an 'excuse' to attack. Wonder if this is Cheney's brainchild ?

[jobama]

Who is the " appeaser " now , Why the MSM is not asking Mcbush about that. I'm really lost what Mcbush's ground for continuing his candidacy. Iraq prim. minister " should leave iraq " Afghanistan.. " is the center of our fight against terrorists " Economy.. Mcbush "I don't know much about the economy " So the only reason left for him to continue his candidacy is pure comedy and that he is doing a great job

[holeybuybull]

Guess the cia is tired of living in multiple safe houses.

[helonias]

Great idea just a long as there are no Roosevelts who work with the CIA going

Iranians know our history of overthrowing govs, most Americans do not

[bigdaddyvike]

Funny- didn't they scoff at Barack for the same notion? Enter election year bravado.

[Gma11]

Wise decision.

Too bad it took so long for them to come up with it!

[YouThinkAndTalk]

So, who is McCain going to bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, ... ? Our embassy?

Bush and McCain were driving along this country road, Bush in front and McCain behind, in their SUVs. McCain slows down a little, so it doesn't look like he is following Bush. Bush looks back, no McCain. Then, on the next intersection, he makes a sudden turn. McCain keeps driving, happily, on the same road. Oops!

[Axolotl]

if true, doesn't this mean that Obama is not only prescient, informed and savvy, but also a leader of this country--in seeding this idea with no fear of Bush's feckless label of "appeaser"?

McCain is so yesterday. No free pass for him. His sinecure is the US Senate, where he can continue to "be a part of every important [and failed] national security event in the last 20 years."

[meanguy]

what are you smoking? now obama has powers of precognition? has the power to telepathically cause bush to adopt different policies? the line between admiration and psychotic worship is about 5 miles behind you

[gorgol]

So, now the Bush administration...is going to try "diplomacy" with Iran...this alone should prove that OBAMA knows what he's talking about...the REPUBS are so scared that they are copying Obamas ideas...except they'll go over there...with their usual "IN YOUR FACE" demeanor...treating the Iranians like second class humans. Its too bad, because they will probably screw it up for Obamas "real" diplomacy.

[humuhumunukunukuapuaa]

Does this make Generalissimo El Busho an "appeaser"?

[helonias]

No just the incompetent, out of touch git that he is.

[LouStool]

I hope he doesn't send Ollie North. Iran may come out of this with some shinny new weapons.

[yankee452]

Direct talks with senior officials is considered "appeasement".....

What then do MCain and Bush consider re-established diplomatic relations with a state sponsor of terror no less?

Talks with Iran

Targeting Al Queda in Pakistan if when necessary

Redirecting attention to Afghanistan

Redefining the operational committment of NATO in Afghanistan

You'd think Bush/MCcain thought all these policies up on their own....

Oh wait ....those were Obama's proposed policies.

What a bunch of clueless old hypocrites!!

[Mercedes]

Why do I have the feeling that doing this will be the UNofficial start of the Invasion of Iran???