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January 13, 2012

Report: U.S. Uses Secret Channel to Warn Iran Strait Closure a "Red Line" 
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The Obama administration has reportedly used a "secret channel" to
directly warn Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, against
closing the Strait of Hormuz. According to the New York Times, the U.S.
has communicated to Khamenei closure of the straight would be a "red
line" that would elicit a U.S. response. Iran has threatened to block
the Strait in response to harsher international sanctions or in the
event of a military attack from the U.S. or Israel. The U.S. warning to
Iran comes just days after an Iranian nuclear scientist was
assassinated, the latest in a string of similar attacks. On Thursday,
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta denied U.S. involvement.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta: "We were not involved in any way, in any
way, with regards to the assassination that took place there. I'm not
sure who was involved. We have some ideas as to who might be involved,
but we don't know exactly who was involved. But I can tell you one
thing: the United States was not involved in that kind of effort. That's
not—that's not what the United States does."

Amid the heightened tensions, Iran has signaled its willingness to take
part in renewed international talks on its nuclear activities. On
Thursday, Iran's parliamentary speaker, Ali Larijani, said he thinks the
impasse could be resolved through "serious talks" and proposed Turkey as
a host state.



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