REALITY: Obama has consistently said he is willing to meet, without preconditions but with preparation, the leaders of Iran. This could include, but is not limited to, Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad is not the most powerful person in Iran, and his status is uncertain as there will be Presidential elections in Iran in 2009.
OBAMA HAS SAID HE WOULD BE WILLING TO MEET WITH THE LEADERS OF IRAN
Obama Said He Would Be Willing To Meet Without Precondition With The Leaders Of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba, And North Korea. Obama was asked "Would you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?" Obama responded, "I would. And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them -- which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration -- is ridiculous." [
CNN, Youtube Debate, 7/24/07]
Obama Said He'd Be Willing To Meet Without Precondition The Leaders Of Iran. Asked if he were still willing to meet without pre-condition during your first year with Fidel Castro, Kim Jung Il, Hugo Chavez, Obama said, "I do. Now, I did not say that I would be meeting with all of them. I said I'd be willing to. Obviously, there is a difference between pre-conditions and preparation. Pre-conditions, which was what the question was in that debate, means that we won't meet with people unless they've already agreed to the very things that we expect to be meeting with them about. And obviously, when we say to Iran, 'We won't meet with you until you've agreed to all the terms that we've laid out,'" from their perspective that's not a negotiation, that's not a meeting." [
Meet the Press, 11/11/07]
Obama Said That He Would Be Willing To Meet With Iranian Leaders After Sufficient Preparation. Obama said, "I would be willing to meet with Iranian leaders if we had done sufficient preparations for that meeting." [
CNN, 5/20/08]
Obama Said He'd Be Willing To Meet At Some Point With The Leaders Of Iran. Obama said, "But what I have said is that at some point I would be willing to meet. And that is a position -- I mean, what's puzzling is that we view this as in any way controversial when this has been the history of U.S. diplomacy until very recently." [Watertown, SD Press Avail, 5/16/08]
Obama Said The Approach He's Suggesting Is Tough But Engaged Diplomacy Like What Was Carried Out By Kennedy, Nixon, And Reagan. Obama said, "The approach I am suggesting, the tough but engaged diplomacy that I am suggesting is the kind that was carried out by John Kennedy, it was carried out by Richard Nixon, and it was carried out by Ronald Reagan. There is a strong bipartisan tradition of engaging in that kind of diplomacy. You mirror military strength with aggressive, effective, tough diplomacy. That's what's been lacking." [Watertown, SD Press Avail, 5/16/08]