WORLD BRIEFING / IRAN

Iran has accepted an invitation to a conference on Afghanistan next week that will be attended by a U.S. delegation, the conference’s Dutch host said. The invitation to Iran, which was first announced by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, was seen as part of Washington’s policy aiming at greater engagement with the Islamic Republic.

Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen, who confirmed Iran’s acceptance, said the identity of the Iranian representative was not yet known. Verhagen said the invitation fit Europe’s two-track approach of offering inducements to Iran to cooperate with the international community while maintaining sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program.