US-Iran talks hold 'little hope'

Baghdad: The Iraqi officials are hardly optimistic about the US-Iran security talks expected to begin in Baghdad today as it represents the first step towards ending the US-Iranian conflict on Iraqi soil.

Brigadier Khodair Al Dulaimi, an official at the Iraqi Interior Ministry during the former regime era, told Gulf News: "Iranian intelligence has vigorous and powerful influence inside Iraq. The intervention increased [manifold] since the collapse of the Iraqi state and the presence of American occupation, besides empowering some Iraqi political forces which have close ties with Iran."

Al Dulaimi added: "Iranian-American power struggle in Iraq will not be resolved by rare talks between ambassadors because none of them are willing to give up their powerful sway in the region."

Al Sadr's re-emergence

The Iraqi government led by Nouri Al Maliki vigorously sought to organise the American-Iranian talks to obtain guarantees from both sides not to plunge Iraq into any regional conflict and to stop warring on its turf. But the load of distrust between Iran and the United States is too heavy.

Sabah Abdul Razzaq, a political analyst, told Gulf News: "The timing of anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr's sudden re-emergence in Kufa days prior to the forthcoming talks indicates strong Iranian political message to the Americans by waving the Mehdi Army paper."

Before the US and Iranian direct talks, the two sides traded accusations and claimed their demands. Abdul Razzaq told Gulf News: "The US army arrested a Sadr City Iraqi police deputy officer who is suspected of having strong ties to Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

"The United States accuses Iran of fuelling sectarian violence by supporting and arming Iraqi gunmen to kill American soldiers. The moves indicate there that there is more confrontation ahead between the two nations and lots of distrust. Accordingly. the forthcoming bilateral talks will reach a dead end."

"The Americans demand that Iran stop support to Shiite armed militias, precisely the Mehdi Army, wind up its religious influence in Najaf and Karbala, and accept the principle of cooperation with Americans to maintain stabilisation in the country.

"Iran restated its conditions, asking Americans to lift their protection provided the Mujahideen Khalq Organisation, an Iranian opposition group based in Iraq, and to schedule a clear timetable for the US-led forces' withdrawal. These mutual dictates seem difficult to be achieved by any of the two states."

Mohammad Al Hasani, a political activist in the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party, told Gulf News: "I admit we do not possess a conclusive evidence. Yet facts confirm Iran's involvement in Iraq's growing sectarian bloodshed.

"Therefore any US-Iranian agreement, if obtained by the current or future talks, will be ... unsuccessful due to differences between Iraqi sects and Iran, specifically with the ongoing spread of violence."