June 2, 2009 State Dept Daily Press Briefing - July 4 invitation to Iranian Diplomats (ACTION ALERT!

US State Dept ^ | June 2 / 29. 2009

[don-o]

QUESTION: Can you confirm reports that the State Department has authorized the U.S. embassies to invite Iranian officials to Fourth of July celebrations?

MR. WOOD: Well, the State Department recently provided some guidance to our posts regarding governments whose officials may be invited to U.S. Government hosted representational events this year around the Fourth of July. And we review these types of invitations every year, and the decision was made this year to invite officials from Iran. So – and this is very much in line with our policy of trying to engage the Iranian Government.

QUESTION: I understand that the invitation went out on Friday. On the same day, the bombing in Zahedan happened and some Iranian officials blamed the U.S. for it. Do you know which -- was the invitation sent out after this (inaudible)?

MR. WOOD: I have no way of knowing, and there’s clearly no connection as far as we’re concerned.

QUESTION: Of course. But would it have affected the decision to send it out still?

MR. WOOD: I – you know, you’re asking me to – you’re asking a hypothetical. I just couldn’t answer that for you.

QUESTION: Well – sorry, go ahead.

QUESTION: Go ahead.

QUESTION: Has the – has the general policy that, I believe, barred contact among U.S. diplomats and Iranian diplomats been – without explicit authorization been relaxed?

MR. WOOD: I think that’s safe to say.

QUESTION: So –

QUESTION: When was – when did that happen?

MR. WOOD: We’re talking about the fact that we’re allowing – oh, I’m sorry. Yeah. I see what you’re saying, Arshad. As far as I know, since 1980, we have not had any kind of – our diplomats were not allowed to have substantive discussions with Iranian officials. This is just for the purposes right now of inviting Iranian officials to U.S. Government events, you know, in connection with July 4.

QUESTION: So they’re not allowed, however, to have substantive discussions?

MR. WOOD: Well, again, this is – this cable that went out was specifically addressing the question of inviting representatives.

QUESTION: Just so that we have clarity, just as U.S. diplomats also need clarity, can you state then that the prohibition on substantive contacts with Iranian officials absent explicit direction from the Department is still in force?

MR. WOOD: Yeah, I think that’s safe to say. We have not issued any instructions with regard to substantive discussions with Iranian officials at this point.

I mean, certainly, at a July 4th type of event, you’ll have a lot of meeting and greeting of various officials, but in terms of the substantive policy, I don’t believe at this point there has been a change.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. WOOD: That’s not to say that—

QUESTION: There won’t be.

MR. WOOD: -- there won’t be a change. I’m just saying, as I’m aware of right now, there has not been. We have only – again, as part of our policy, trying to reach out to Iran, we’ve decided that, you know, for this year’s July 4 that Iranian diplomats can be invited to those receptions.

QUESTION: And when it says that they can be invited –

MR. WOOD: Or they may be –

QUESTION: -- do you expect them to be invited?

MR. WOOD: I would assume that a number of them would be invited. That’s going to be up to the post. The language is certainly may be invited, so it’s really going to be up to the chief of mission to decide. But clearly, our policy here is to reach out and engage Iran. And so this is just one way of doing that.

QUESTION: But it’s just for chit-chat, not for anything –

MR. WOOD: This cable was solely for the purpose of inviting Iranian officials to attend July 4 celebrations.

QUESTION: But if you invite people, you have to speak to them.

MR. WOOD: Yes, and there’s no – you know, there’s no ban against, you know, greetings and speaking to officials. What we’re talking about here is engaging in substantive discussions about policy issues.

Yes.

QUESTION: But is this a one-off? So it’s not about substantive discussions, you still can’t have those. We have can have chit-chat with them. Can you have chit-chat beyond Fourth of July at other locations? Is the invitation just for – is this cable just for the Fourth of July?

MR. WOOD: Just for the Fourth of July, yes.

QUESTION: So –

MR. WOOD: For this year.

QUESTION: So there will be no further invitations?

MR. WOOD: For this year. That’s correct.

Yeah, I mean, look, as I said, our policy is to try to reach out to the Iranian Government and people. The President and Secretary have made very clear that this is what we want to do. And you know, certainly, there are going to be other opportunities to reach out to Iran. We, again, still wait for Iran to reach back. And what I’m specifically referring to is, you know, Iran informing us as to whether they’re going to respond positively to Javier Solana’s invitation to attend the next P-5+1 meeting.

QUESTION: So if American diplomats bump into Iranian diplomats at another reception at some other embassy, are they allowed to chit-chat with them?

MR. WOOD: Look, it’s always been the policy that if you’re at an official function and you’re approached by an Iranian official who wants to greet you, certainly it’s common courtesy to send a greeting back. And that has basically been the extent of our, you know, engagement with Iranian diplomats.

But again, as I said, we’re moving in a new direction. We want to engage the Iranian people, and through them, their government, and so this is just one way of doing so.

QUESTION: I hope the hot dogs are halal.

QUESTION: If this is also – if the common courtesy has always been the courtesy of U.S., how does it differ to be courteous on the Fourth of July instead of being, you know, courteous the rest of the year?

MR. WOOD: This is not --

QUESTION: What’s the difference? What is --

MR. WOOD: Well, this is – the difference is our diplomats – our missions abroad are allowed now to invite Iranian officials for –to attend a July 4th celebration. Whereas what I was talking about in addressing Kim’s question was that if you are at some type of an event, third country event, and you’re approached by Iranian --

QUESTION: So then we get into U.S. territory?

MR. WOOD: That’s correct.

QUESTION: No one is to speak with their mouth full, correct? (Laughter.)

QUESTION: Well, I certainly hope not. That’s not polite.

QUESTION: Then Robert --

MR. WOOD: You wouldn’t do something like that.

QUESTION: Robert, does it follow, if you’re reaching out to the Iranians, that if they, in fact, accept a hot dog, they would have to unclench their fists?

MR. WOOD: That’s good, Charlie, but I’ll --

QUESTION: Change of subject?

[don-o]

I made a list of some of the countries that have both American and Iranian Embassies. I suggest you select a country and then connect to the U.S. Emabassy in that country. On the websites, you will find various e-mail addresses and fax numbers. Perhaps enough pressure can be applied from home to make the American diplomats think twice about dishonoring OUR Independence Day, as Iraniana are dying for theirs.

US State Department

Afghanistan	Armenia	Australia
Azerbaizjan	Bahrain	Bangladesh
Belarus	Belgium	Bosnia
Brazil	Brunei	Bulgaria
Canada	China	Columbia
Cote D’Ivoire	Croatia	Cyprus
Czech Republic	Denmark	Egypt
Ethiopia	France	Georgia
Germany	Great Britain	Greece
Hong Kong	Hungary	India
Indonesia	Indonesia	Iraq
Ireland	Italy	Japan
Jordan	Kazakhstan	Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan	Malaysia	Mexico
Morocco	Netherlands	New Zealand
Norway	Oman	Pakistan
Philippines	Poland	Portugal
Qatar	Romania	Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia	Senegal	Serbia and Montenegro
Sierra Leone	Slovakia	Slovenia
South Africa	South Korea	Spain
Sri Lanka	Sudan	Sweden
Switzerland	Tajikistan	Thailand
Tunisia	Turkey	Turkmenistan
Uganda	Ukraine	United Arab Emirates
Uruguay	Venezuela	Viet Nam

[don-o]

The list of countries may well be incomplete. It took me quite a while to figure out table html.

[don-o]

ping

[Jeff Head]

Guess those invites are not turning out to well for you, Barry, huh?

How does it feel to know that your foreign policy is being shown for the anti-American anti-liberty sham that it is?

George Bush's legacy and fight endures in the Mid East, despite, and in spite of Obama, and THAT is Obama's real dilema.

It was George Bush's policy of direct engagement and support of liberty that has led to the people of Iran seeing the measure of freedom now established on both sides of them in Iraq and Afghjanistan...and desiring it for themselves.

Obama cannot possibly go too far in recognizing that, or he absolutely repudiates himself and his entire foreign policy.

...but the fight in Iran is far from over, and is getting brutal.

---

WARNING:GRAPHIC:

Young Woman (Neda) shot to death in Terhran. 6/20/2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fVyGo7rZUI

Crowd Hunting Basij, Man shot. 6/20/2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYaL4mA-bSY

---

RUNNING BATTLES IN TEHRAN

URGENT: HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT IRANIAN PROTESTORS RIGHT NOW...ON TWITTER

AMERICANS SUPPORTING IRAN LIBERTY

AMERICANS DON'T NEED OBAMA SPEAKING FOR THEM, WE'RE FREE AND CAN SPEAK FOR OURSELVES

POEM FOR THE ROOFTOPS OF IRAN - INCREDIBLY MOVING

You can follow me on twitter if you want.http://www.twitter.com/Jeff_Head

[popdonnelly]

Entertaining representatives of this Iranian regime is a desecration of our most important national holiday.

[PhiKapMom]

ZERO, the Muslim, could care less about the 4th of July. First time he came to the Mainland was at 18. Schooled in Indonesia, schooled in a private school with Frank Davis as his mentor, mother a communist sympathizer as were his grandparents.

He doesn’t have a clue about what the 4th of July means but he can cook Pakistani food from I just read.

What a huge mistake this Country made and it can be laid at the feet of the drive-by media and their failure to investigate who this man was since he has ZERO experience to be President — didn’t even know how many states but could recite a prayer from the Koran.

[don-o]

Hope everyone will take some time to make direct contact with our foreign embassies. This is absolutely a disgrace.

[don-o]

I know about Obama. My point is to go directly to the folks out there who might even consider acting on his disgusting suggestion. Let them hear loud and clear from the folks they are representing.

[don-o]

bump

[don-o]

Here’s what I am sending.

Subject: Inviting the Iranians to July 4?

President Obama’s directive has many of us wondering what message he is sending to the world. Maybe for July 4, 2010, if the Iranians have won their independence from the government that represses them, then such an invitation will be appropriate.

The Iranian government is killing Iranians for the “crime” of peaceful assembly to address grievances. It is just difficult to understand why our government would think that this is the proper time to reach out to the deniers of basic human rights.

I ask that you refrain from fulfilling the President’s request. And, if there are any more suggestions about this from the State Department, I ask that you make that known to the American people, whom you represent.

Thank you for your service to our nation.

[Cindy]

A Look at Iran:
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html

[don-o]

Blog that is regularly updated

Revolutionary Road

[jacknhoo]

Anne-Marie Slaughter is going to get a lesson in “A New World Order,” the question is whether she will learn.

[don-o]

bump

Cam I get an Amen!?

[JoyjoyfromNJ]

Your post #10 was terrific! Not sure if I’ll be able to get access to a fax machine today but hope yours gets thru to the Ambassadors!

[don-o]

Thanks and a btt for some participation.

[penelopesire]

Thanks for all the hard work on this thread. I will be sending a letter today!! This has been pissing me off since Saturday!

Great work!

[Cindy]

Thank you don-o for the link.

[don-o]

Thank you. It’s not generating much response, though. Ah well. I’m sending a bunch of e-mails tonight.

[penelopesire]

Call To Action Ping!

Please take the time to contact as many embassies as you can and pass the info on.

Thanks!