The Obama administration, in a sign of thawing ties with Iran, is likely soon to relax restrictions on contacts between U.S. diplomats and Iranian officials, said a source close to the matter. But the source, who asked not to be named because a review of U.S. policy on Iran is not complete, said the Bush administration’s idea to open a low-level diplomatic outpost in Tehran was for now “off the table.” The plan is to make small but significant gestures to Tehran, including an invitation to a conference on Afghanistan this month, and to allow U.S. diplomats to see Iranian officials without first seeking approval, as has been the case for nearly 30 years.
