Despite all the negative news in much of the media on the worsening state of relations between Iran and the United States, there are some signs that continued dialogue is bearing positive results in resolving some of the issues plaguing the relationship between the two countries.  On the nuclear issue, recent meetings between the EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani have finally produced some concrete results and Iran will allow IAEA inspectors to visit its heavy water research reactor which is under construction in Arak. The International Atomic Energy Agency has also said that Iran is ready to improve inspections and work on answering questions about past plutonium experiments.  Iran has reportedly slowed the expansion of its uranium enrichment program in Natanz as well.  All these confidence building measures are providing a time out for negotiations to continue and for a third round of UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran to be delayed.  Iran must keep its promises in actions and not just words though, in order not to waste this chance at reaching a possible solution to this four year long crisis.  If it does not cooperate fully with the inspectors it will be accused of stalling and create further distrust of the peaceful intentions of its nuclear program.

Another positive development is that the Unites States and the Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to form a tripartite security committee to help restore security and stability to Iraq.  This agreement was reached at the recent second round of Iran-US direct talks by the ambassadors of the two sides held in Baghdad.  During that meeting the US ambassador Ryan Crocker accused Iran of stepping up its alleged support of militia groups and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Kazemi Qomi countered by saying that Tehran was helping Iraq deal with its security situation, but Iraqis were "victimized by terror and the presence of foreign forces" on their territory. Nevertheless Iraqi officials have hailed the creation of this tripartite security committee to deal with Al-Qaeda, increase security along borders, and support the Iraqi government in fighting terrorism. Both Iran and the United States have agreed to study the details of the security committee which will include experts from Iran, Iraq, and the US, and set a date to launch it.  More encouragingly, just a day after the ambassadors meeting in Baghdad, Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Tehran would be willing to consider higher-level talks with Washington over Iraq, at the level of deputy foreign minister possibly.