Region | Iraq
Iran-US talks on Iraq 'soon'
Iran and the United States will meet shortly to discuss security in Iraq, following up on their landmark meeting in May, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said yesterday.
- Reuters
- Published: 23:20 July 17, 2007
Baghdad: Iran and the United States will meet shortly to discuss security in Iraq, following up on their landmark meeting in May, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said yesterday.
Worsening chaos in Iraq has pushed the two countries, which have not had diplomatic ties since shortly after Iran's 1979 revolution, to seek common ground.
"I can confirm that there will be a second round of talks in Baghdad soon. It will be at the ambassadorial level. Iraq will be there and the talks will be about Iraq's stability and security," Zebari said by telephone.
In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters he saw a "high possibility" a second round would take place in the "near future".
US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in Washington: "We've always said that there's the possibility of having another meeting. Right now we don't yet have a meeting date.
Instability
"We think that, given the situation in Iraq and given Iran's continued behaviour that is leading to further instability in Iraq, that it would be appropriate to have another face-to-face meeting," he added.
"If they wish to a see a more stable, secure, peaceful Iraq, which is what they have said they would like to see, they need to change their behaviour. They need to stop supporting sectarian militias that are exacerbating sectarian tensions," he said.
"Iran can play a positive, responsible role in Iraq. They say they want to. Thus far we have not seen it."
The Iranian and US ambassadors to Iraq last met in Baghdad on May 28, in the most high-profile meeting of the two foes in almost three decades. The United States has been leading diplomatic efforts to isolate Iran over its nuclear ambitions -- but both sides say any talks will focus solely on matters in Iraq.
In a sign Iraq's divided politicians might be bridging some of their differences, the bloc of anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr said it had ended a boycott of parliament.
"Starting from today, we have ended our suspension in parliament. We are back," said Nassar Al Rubaei, spokesman for the bloc in parliament.
Rubaei said the bloc had received assurances from parliament over demands that the government protect shrines.
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