U.S., Iran hold “positive” talks on Iraq violence
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United States urged Iran on Monday to stop supporting militias in Iraq in the most high-profile meeting between the two countries in almost 30 years that both sides later described as positive.
The rare talks in Baghdad were narrowly focused on Iraq’s spiralling sectarian violence and did not touch on Iran’s controversial nuclear program, which has ratcheted up tensions between the two arch foes in recent months.
“Positive” was how both sides characterized the four-hour meeting that began with a handshake between U.S. ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Kazemi-Qomi at Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s office in Baghdad.
In new violence in Iraq, a truck bomb exploded near an important Sunni Muslim mosque in central Baghdad, killing 24 people and wounding 68 others shortly after the talks broke up.
The Iranians appeared keen for further talks, with Kazemi-Qomi calling the meeting “a first step in negotiations between these two sides” and saying Tehran would seriously consider an Iraqi invitation for further discussion
Read full story.
Source: www.reuters.com
No Comments
No comments yet.
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
Leave a comment