News On Iran & Its NeighboursIraqUS-Iran talks over Iraq put on hold

US-Iran talks over Iraq put on hold

-

AP: The Bush administration remains interested in limited talks with Iran on its activities in Iraq, but no meeting is scheduled, a State Department spokesman said Friday. Associated Press

By BARRY SCHWEID

AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Bush administration remains interested in limited talks with Iran on its activities in Iraq, but no meeting is scheduled, a State Department spokesman said Friday.

The talks would be held in Baghdad, where U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad was authorized months ago by President Bush to meet with Iranian diplomats on a limited basis.

“We don’t have a timeline for such a meeting,” spokesman Sean McCormack said. “As for whether there will be a meeting, we will see.”

The U.S. official added: “We’ve had concerns about the Iranians’ behavior in Iraq. We are calling for good, neighborly, transparent relations between Iraq and Iran.”

Excluded from the potential discussion are Iran’s nuclear activities, which the Bush administration and European allies say is designed to manufacture nuclear weapons.

McCormack suggested Iran was showing interest in talks with the United States because “they find themselves under the scrutiny and the harsh spotlight of the international community concerning their nuclear activities.”

The United States and the Europeans have brought their case against Iran to the United Nations, but there is no decision on whether to try to impose economic or other penalties on Iran to try to force a resumption of negotiations with Britain, France and Germany.

In Vienna, Austria, diplomatic sources reported the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, would go to Tehran next week to try to wrest concessions.

In about two weeks he is due to report to the Security Council on whether Iran is heeding a call by the council to reimpose a freeze on enrichment of uranium and fully open its nuclear program to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

McCormack said the administration hoped ElBaradei would reinforce a message to the Iranian government that it must come into compliance with its international obligations, including curbs on proliferating nuclear technology.

Latest news

 Statistics show that New Year accidents’ deaths in Iran reached 585

Ahmad Shirani, the head of the Information and Traffic Control Center of the Iranian regime’s police, announced that the...

Land Subsidence in Critical Conditions in Isfahan

Mehdi Toghyani, a member of the Iranian regime’s Majlis (parliament), pointed to the occurrence of land subsidence in various...

Iran’s Actual Inflation Rate Higher Than Official Stats

The state-run Donya-e-eqtesad newspaper, in a report analyzing the "general sentiment" regarding inflation in 2023, has stated that households...

Iranian Workers’ Monthly $136 Wages Can’t Cover $500 Expenses

The lives of a significant portion of the Iranian population are marked by uncertainty, largely because the Iranian economy...

Iranian Nurses Earn Twice Their Wages in Ride-Hailing Services

Reza Aryanpour, a member of the regime’s Majlis (parliament) Health and Treatment Commission, highlighted the growing trend of nurses...

Iran: Unprecedented Record of 152 Million Liters of Gasoline Consumption Per Day

On March 19, Iran set a new historical record in gasoline consumption with 152 million liters consumed in one...

Must read

Iran War Vet Sets Himself on Fire in Protest Against Iranian Foundation

By Jubin Katiraie A war veteran lit himself on fire...

Fire rages at refinery in Iran capital

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Feb. 18 – Tehran’s oil...

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you