Obama: Avoid rhetorical escalation that leads to Iran reducing cooperation with the IAEA ... & meetings between the US & Iran in Geneva

Politico/ here

".... It occurred to me listening to Crowley and Obama's firm but somewhat muted public reactions to Iran's decision to enrich to a higher grade, that one thing they want to avoid is the kind of rhetorical escalation that might have Iran reduce cooperation with the IAEA. The IAEA currently has observers at the Natanz pilot facility where Iran is conducting the 20% uranium enrichment.

Meantime, Paris-based Intelligence Online today reports that Swiss Foreign Secretary Mickael Ambuhl has initiated a set of meetings between the U.S. and Iran in Geneva:

Officially, the Iranian Vice President Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie was in Geneva February 1 to attract investors to the Kish Island Persian Gulf Sea Project. But according to our information, Meshaie also took part in secret meetings with American officials, just days before Iran announced its intention to enrich uranium by 20% instead of the current 3.5%. Meshaei's presence in Geneva coincided with the presence at the United Nations' headquarters in the city of the large delegation of American nuclear specialists who had come to finalize the new Start treaty with the Russians.

For several months, Switzerland has hosted a series of meetings between the U.S. and Iran. Mickael Ambuhl, the Foreign Secretary, initiated these contacts last year under the authority of the Foreign Minister, Micheline Calmy Rey. Ambuhl recently moved to the Finance Ministry, but the meetings are still going on. The Swiss Embassy serves as the protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran, where Washington does not have an embassy."