Iranians Fault Rice’s Dismissal of Letter

An Iranian diplomat says that Condoleezza Rice squandered a potential “turning point” in U.S.-Iranian relations by her “hasty” rejection of a letter from the Iranian president to Bush. (Read the letter)

AP:

TEHRAN, Iran – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s abrupt dismissal of a letter from Iran’s president might only strengthen hardline attitudes and mistrust of America, some Iranians warned Tuesday.

As President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad began a high-profile visit to a key Muslim country, Indonesia, a former top Iranian official said Rice’s response will give new justification to those who oppose ties with the U.S.

Iran’s former ambassador to France, Sadeq Kharrazi, said the letter ? the first from an Iranian head of state to an American president in 27 years ? “could have been a turning point in relations.” But he said Rice squandered the opportunity with what he called a “hasty reaction.”

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