A breakthrough in the “Islamic Republic of Iran”:

Iran welcomes a “constructive” dialogue with world powers over its nuclear program — but insisted that it won’t halt its uranium enrichment activities, the official IRNA news agency reported Wednesday.

We can forget about the whole pre-conditions scuttlebutt. Post-conditions are out the window. Tehran is signaling in advance that any talks between Iran and other nations will not work. Of course, Barack Obama claims his apologetic ever-engaged approach will elicit cooperation “at the margins” of larger differences. Let’s be absurdly generous and say he’s right. There are no margins here. It’s a binary proposal: Iran goes nuclear or it doesn’t — and we already know we’re heading for a one, not a zero.

We’re down to talking about talking, touting the virtues of the very act itself apart from any effect on matters outside the realm of conversation. The White House mentions the benefits of dialogue and Tehran does the same. The White House says it wishes to talk to Iran “with respect,” and Tehran says it looks forward to being talked to “with respect.” The White House says it will not invoke threats when talking to Iran, and Iran says it will not be threatened in talks with the U.S. But after all the faux niceties and the pop-psychology affirmations are in place, what’s left to say constructively, respectfully, unthreateningly, and with a cherry on top?

“Nice centrifuges.”