Iran: US office in Tehran “media speculation”
Washington, 4 August (IranVNC)—Iran’s new Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hassan Qashqavi, said today an op-ed published in the Washington Post yesterday which suggested the Bush administration would announce plans to open a diplomatic office in Tehran was “speculation”.
By: IranVNC
Published: Monday, August 04, 2008
13:42GMT—9:42AM/EST
Washington, 4 August (IranVNC)—Iran’s new Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hassan Qashqavi, said today an op-ed published in the Washington Post yesterday which suggested the Bush administration would announce plans to open a diplomatic office in Tehran was “speculation”.
American columnist, David Ignatius cited a “senior official” as saying the Bush administration would announce plans by the end of August to open a diplomatic office in Tehran.
But in his first press conference, Qashqavi told reporters that Tehran has not received a formal request from Washington in this regard, Mehr News Agency reports. He called the Washington Post piece “media speculation” and said he had nothing to add to it.
US media reports suggested in early July that the Bush Administration was considering opening a diplomatic office in Tehran, its first since 1979. Asked about the reports at the time, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she would not comment on internal deliberations of the US government, but added the U.S. was seeking ways to increase contacts with the Iranian people.
Rice’s Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, responded to the July report by saying he would welcome increased cultural exchanges between the two countries.
Sources: Mehr News Agency in Persian, Washington Post
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