Meeting Iran

Huh.

The US treasury department has revealed that one of its officials took part in discussions with Iranian officials in Paris last month.

Such meetings are rare as the two countries have no diplomatic relations.

The US says the talks were initiated by an international body set up to monitor the financing of terror groups.

Reports say the session was called at Tehran’s request, to respond to claims that it is complicit in money laundering and financing terrorists.

The American official who attended the meeting was named as Daniel Glaser, who is in charge of terrorist financing and financial crimes at the treasury.

1. Makes sense. Even at the height of the Cold War, the US and the Soviet Union continued to meet, to talk, and to find projects where we shared a common interest and could cooperate (e.g., in fighting diseases that afflict both countries).

   Posted by Leisureguy on February 16, 2008 at 2340 hrs




2. The story indicates the session was multi-lateral.  Interesting that the US says an international body initiated the talks yet Iran claims they called for the session.  What does either side gain with their respective spin?

   Posted by Tony Turner on February 17, 2008 at 0821 hrs




3. How disappointing.  I expected more disapproval, after the way your side jumped all over Obama for, essentially, suggesting he’d do the same thing.

   Posted by folkbum on February 17, 2008 at 1413 hrs