Direct negotiations between U.S. and Iran? Everyone denies

The New York Times revealed yesterday (Saturday) that the U.S. and Iran have agreed to hold direct talks for the first time on the Iranian nuclear issue.

The newspaper quotes seniors in Obama's administration who clarify that this is a last attempt to avoid a warlike step of an attack on Iran. However, Iranian government officials claimed to the newspaper that there is such a consent, but they insist on opening talks only after the scheduled elections in the US.

Statements by Iranian officials are apparently due to the understanding that if Mitt Romney will be elected as president, he will prefer to act in stricter ways towards them. Romney has already made clear more than once that he does not rule out the use of force against Iran.

However, Tommy Wintour, White House spokesman, denied the report: "It is not true that the U.S. and Iran have agreed to hold tête-à-tête talks after the U.S. elections," he announced.

Americans are going to offer significant ease on Iran sanctions, in return for the limitation of nuclear enrichment activities, so that the more the Iranians would reduce nuclear activities - they will gain further easing.

According to the report in The New York Times, is not yet known what the position of the Iranian spiritual authority, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on the subject is. Also, is not yet known whether the U.S. will allocate time for the success of these talks - to prevent stalling on the part of the Iranians.

NBC network quoted the words of Michael Oren, Israel's ambassador to Washington that the U.S. government did not inform Israel about the existence of these contacts.

Later on there was an official denial from the White House, and Iran itself.

"Nuclear talks continue as usual. Besides, we do not have any contacts or discussions with the United States," the Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Salahi clarified.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!