The lights are on, but is anybody in?

Iran will not attend the upcoming G-8 summit in Italy. Not because Iran refused to. Because Iran simply has not answered. Here is what the Italian foreign minister “said”:http://www.reuters.com/article/gc08/idUSTRE55L5GQ20090622:
bq. “With three days to go, I still do not have a reply: I must consider that Iran has declined the invitation,” Frattini, who will host the summit, told Italian television. “Iran has lost an opportunity by not participating in the conference.”
This was Iran’s first opportunity to respond to President Obama’s offer of engagement, an opportunity to demonstrate that Iran might be able to play a positive role in Afghanistan. Clearly the Iranian regime has another engagement that is more pressing.