Tehran mayor backs talks with US

AFP
Friday, October 17, 2008

The mayor of Tehran, a possible contender for the Iranian presidency, said Friday his country would welcome talks with the United States as supported by White House contender Barack Obama.

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a harsh critic of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, expressed hope that Obama would make good on calls to hold dialogue with Iran should the Democrat win the November 4 election.

“Senator Obama said in his presidential campaign that he would like to have such a relationship,” Qalibaf said.

The mayor said any talks must be to the mutual benefit of the two countries and “without any sense of pressure.”

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“I think the world community, the Iranian society and the US society would benefit” from such talks, he told reporters during a visit to Tokyo at the invitation of the Japanese government.

Obama has said Washington must engage in “tough, direct diplomacy” with Iran, but that as president he would have the right “to meet with anybody at a time and place of my choosing if I think it’s going to keep America safe.”

His approach contrasts with the current hardline US policies. President George W. Bush famously named Iran as a part of an “axis of evil”. An escalating nuclear standoff between Iran and the West and inflammatory rhetoric from Ahmadinejad has only deepened the hostility.

Qalibaf, seen as a contender for next year’s presidential

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3 Responses to “Tehran mayor backs talks with US”

1. Lorenzo Thomas Says:
   October 17th, 2008 at 2:09 pm

   “They want a fascist planet with the superwealthy ruling it all
   Since we’re too independent, America must be led to fall
   When our credit’s been exhausted to subdue the Middle East,
   They’ll install our debtor nation in the body of The Beast
   Traitor…Dare call it treason”

   –The Cornbread Mafia

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw5dP5gy2Vs

2. A Pharmacy Student Says:
   October 17th, 2008 at 6:17 pm

   Being the mayor of a big city means being a thief.

3. caveman Says:
   October 17th, 2008 at 8:29 pm

   Just wondering what Obama is going to do about Pakistan and the Taliban?
   I even heard NATO does not rule out Afghan talks with Taliban.
   But what is there to talk about? More like payments for not attacking the pipelines.

   Civilians seem to be the second thing to be concerned about it seems everwhere on the globe.
   Same sad ol head civilian bummer story of our lives again tells history.