Iran, U.S.: Diplomatic Signals and the Back-channel Negotiations

A flurry of diplomatic activity in the Persian Gulf region holds significant implications for U.S.-Iranian negotiations over Iraq. Though the talks encountered a snarl with the assassination of Hezbollah leader Imad Mughniyah, Iran has refrained from blaming the United States for the killing, and the upcoming visit to Iraq of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could not have occurred without some level of U.S. cooperation. This plus numerous other diplomatic encounters in the region suggests U.S.-Iranian back-channel dialogue is entering a critical phase.