White House: U.S. official to reiterate Iran talks conditions

WASHINGTON, July 16 (Xinhua) -- William Burns, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, will reiterate Washington's stance that high-level U.S.-Iran talks are possible if Iran halts its uranium enrichment, the White House said Wednesday.

Confirming the report that Burns will attend international talks with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili in Geneva on Saturday, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said that it would be an opportunity for Burns to reiterate that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would meet her Iranian counterpart "any time, anywhere to move forward on negotiations if they (the Iranians) would halt uranium enrichment."

Burns is the State Department's third-highest-ranking official. His scheduled meeting with Jalili will be the highest-level contact since Iran's Islamic revolution in 1979.

"This is a one-time event and he will be there to listen, not negotiate," said a senior U.S. official, who asked not to be identified.

The United States severed its ties with Iran in 1980. Since then, Washington has been trying to beef up its sanctions against Tehran for allegedly developing secretly nuclear weapons and for being involved in anti-U.S. coalition forces activities.