Henry Kissinger Iran Preconditions

- Barack Obama favors "direct presidential diplomacy on Iran without preconditions"Political Radar: Fact Check: Kissinger Defends McCain's Iran Stance (September 26, 2008)
- Kissinger has said, "I do not believe that we can make conditions for the opening of negotiations"Political Radar: Fact Check: Kissinger Defends McCain's Iran Stance (September 26, 2008)
- During the first 2008 presidential debate, Obama and McCain discussed Kissinger's stance on negotiating with Iran
- Obama stated that Kissinger supports talks between the U.S. and IranMedia Matters: CNN's King reads Kissinger statement without noting... (September 27, 2008)
- McCain argued that Kissinger did not mean talks at a presidential-level
- Kissinger released a statement agreeing that he did not mean presidential-level meetingsMedia Matters: CNN's King reads Kissinger statement without noting... (September 27, 2008)

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has stated that he supports negotiations between Iran and the U.S. without conditions at a "high level".*Political Radar: [ Kissinger Backs Direct Talks 'Without Conditions' with Iran] (September 15, 2008) During the first Presidential debate in Mississippi, Barack Obama and John McCain sparred over Kissinger's opinion on negotiating with Iran.Media Matters: CNN's King reads Kissinger statement without noting... (September 27, 2008)
Iran Negotiation Without Conditions Quotes
"When I call for negotiations with Iran, I differ from some of the advocates of this in the sense that I would come internally to a clear decision of what is unacceptable to us, and to a clear decision of the point beyond which we cannot go, and to a clear decision of undertaking major penalties, if this point is crossed."CNN Transcripts: Henry Kissinger Interview, Is Barack Obama... (June 8, 2008)—Henry Kissinger on CNN interview in June 2008
"Senator McCain mentioned Henry Kissinger, who's one of his advisers, who, along with five recent secretaries of state, just said that we should meet with Iran -- guess what -- without precondition. This is one of your own advisers...When we talk about preconditions -- and Henry Kissinger did say we should have contacts without preconditions -- the idea is that we do not expect to solve every problem before we initiate talks."Media Matters: CNN's King reads Kissinger statement without noting... (September 27, 2008)—Barack Obama at the University of Mississippi Debate
Obama and McCain on Kissinger's Opinion

Obama pointed out that Kissinger favors negotiating without conditions and McCain insisted that Kissinger would not agree with Presidential-level talks with Iran. Obama clarified that he was pointing out that the fact that Kissinger does agree with negotiations.Media Matters: CNN's King reads Kissinger statement without noting... (September 27, 2008)
The McCain campaign released a statement by Kissinger after the debate saying that although he believes that the U.S. should engage in talks with Iran, he does not recommend it be done at the Presidential level.Political Radar: Fact Check: Kissinger Defends McCain's Iran Stance (September 26, 2008)
Kissinger is a advisor to Senator John McCain. One of their key differences in the past has been how to deal with Iran.The News York Times: Palin Will Meet with Kissinger and Foreign Leaders (September 21, 2001)