China View is reporting the US Ambassador to the UN sat next to the Iranian Ambassador and held a discussion last Wednesday.

“Zalmay Khalilzad sat beside Iranian Foreign Minister at a panel of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Saturday.”

The paper claims the White House is angry and denies that there is any change is its aggressive policy towards Iran.

Is the Administration developing ability to negotiate with an opponent while also bullying them? We Americans have rarely performed this type of operation well even when thought it is the common diplomatic currency of the region (Israel and Iran are both prime examples). It will be a steep learning curve but could be a good way forward.

Or is the State Department going maverick after having it recent successes with Iran tossed away by a war-before-peace White House? We could not have brought calm to Afghanistan without Iran and State wanted to build on that. Iran offered to give up all its nuclear programs and enter into partnership with the US and State was horrified by the White House’s flat “we don’t talk to evil” refusal.

Or maybe it was just an informal chat with little meaning but I welcome any opportunity to talk instead of fight.