The U.S. offer to negotiate with Iran over its nuclear ambitions may be an important diplomatic step forward, one prominent commentator said, but the key to resolving the crisis may lie elsewhere.
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman believes America will need support from two other world powers in particular to persuade Iran to abandon its atomic energy program.
"I think the only way it's going to stop Iran is if two key countries -- Russia and China -- stick with us going into these negotiations," he said on "Good Morning America."
Right now the Chinese and Russians aren't insisting that Iran stop nuclear enrichment.
In a major change in policy, the United States on Wednesday offered to join other countries for face-to-face talks with Iran, as long as Tehran stopped enriching uranium. If the United States were to sit down with Iran, it would be the first diplomatic contact since the 1979 hostage crisis.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Vienna, Austria, today to hammer out a list of incentives for Iran to set aside its nuclear ambitions.
Iran says it is willing to listen, but called the U.S. offer to negotiate a propaganda move, which may put a quick end to the renewed American efforts to the nuclear standoff.
"Either they suspend and come back to the talks, or we will know that Iran is not serious about negotiations and the world can move on to bringing sanctions," Rice said.
Tehran says its nuclear activities are aimed at energy production while the United States and Europe suspect Iran of trying to build a nuclear weapon.
Iran says it would welcome direct talks with the United States, but rejected the conditions that it must suspend uranium enrichment.
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki used the U.S. offer as an opportunity to scold America for its foreign policy.
"Maybe it was a cover for America's failure in Iraq and Afghanistan and that's why they offer to join the talks," he said.
"It doesn't surprise me their initial reaction is to say, 'No, no, we'll have direct talks but only if we can continue to enrich our fuel," Friedman said.
"That's why I say it goes back to what the Chinese and Russians say. If they say, 'Sorry, Iran, you've got to stop otherwise there's no choice,' then I think you might see some flexibility on the Iranian side."
