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Israel concerned over U.S. idea to open interests section in Iran
By Barak Ravid
Tags: iran, israel, bush

The question of whether the United States will open an interests section in Tehran will be decided by President George W. Bush himself in the coming month, senior government officials said Monday in Jerusalem.

Israel is following with concern the ongoing discussions in the U.S. administration over the opening of a diplomatic interests section in Iran, but Jerusalem has decided not to intervene for now and has not sent a clear message to the administration about it so far.

"Israel is surprised at the need to open an interests section and about the timing of the American move," a government source in Jerusalem said.
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A government source in Jerusalem also said that discussions in the administration will reach their peak in the coming weeks. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Assistant Secretary of State William Burns are for the move. However, the source said, the decision is so important it will be decided by Bush himself.

The opening of a U.S. interests section will have a major influence on Israel's freedom of military movement vis a vis Iran.

Some confusion has been seen in Israel in recent weeks with regard to U.S. policy toward Iran - the U.S. has kept Israel minimally in the loop with regard to its policy change toward Iran.

"We don't really know what the Americans are planning," said another government source, who is close to the Iranian question. "We receive reassuring messages from the Americans, but on the other hand questions arise in light of the intention to open an interests section."

Last week Israel sought explanations from the United States through a number of channels with regard to the interests section. The approaches were made very delicately, with an emphasis on questions and requests for clarifications rather than protests or objections.

The Americans had two major messages. Burns said the goal of the move was to connect the American people with the Iranian people, and to better understand what is going on in Iran and show another face of America to Iran.

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    In contrast, sources closer to the more hawkish camp led by Vice President Richard Cheney said the interests section would show up Iran as a backward dictatorship whose citizens are fleeing from it to the West.

    The European Union's foreign affairs chief, Javier Solana, spoke yesterday with the head of the Iranian nuclear negotiating team, Saeed Jalali, to hear Iran's response to the package of benefit the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany are offering Iran. However, a spokesman for Solana said the talks had not been specifically fruitful.

    Iran said on Thursday that it would respond in writing to the proposal of the forum of six.

    Later, senior foreign ministry officials in the six countries spoke by phone, after which they issued an ultimatum to the Iranians. The State Department said the six had decided to impose new sanctions on Iran if Iran did not respond positively to the proposal in the coming days.

    The U.S. has reportedly told Israel in recent weeks that if Iran does not respond positively, a fourth round of sanctions will be imposed by the Security Council.
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