ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT The top U.S. military officer said Sunday he does not assume Iran's brief seizure of an Iraqi oil well is part of an orchestrated plan in Tehran to threaten its neighbors. Adm. Mike Mullen also said he's worried about "the clock now running" on the Obama administration's efforts at trying to keep the lines of communication open with Iran. The administration had given a rough deadline of the end of 2009 for Iran to respond to an offer of engagement and show that it would allay world concerns about its nuclear program.

BAGHDAD Iraqi troops escorted workers back to a remote oil well Sunday after Iranian forces withdrew as a standoff on the two countries' disputed border appeared to wane. Two Iraqi government officials and an employee at the site said about 11 oil workers returned to well No. 4 at the al-Fakkah oil field, seized by Iranian forces on Thursday. Al-Fakkah is one of the largest oil fields in Iraq, and is located in the southern province of Maysan