Iran to consider talks with U.S. on Iraq

AP: Iran is ready to consider negotiating with the United States over regional issues including Iraq, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said Sunday. By NASSER KARIMI

Associated Press Writer

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iran is ready to consider negotiating with the United States over regional issues including Iraq, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said Sunday.

But Mohammad Ali Hosseini said Iran would not change its stance regarding relations with the U.S., indicating Iran would refuse to discuss its nuclear program.

“If there is any official request about regional issues, we are ready to review it,” said spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini. He said those issues included Iraq, but would not elaborate.

The United States said in May that it wanted to hold direct talks with Iran about Iraq – which would have been the most public exchange by the countries in years. Iran said it had agreed to the idea, and U.S. and Iranian officials said at the time that the talks would focus on the situation in Iraq, not on broader subjects like Iran’s nuclear program.

But Iran then changed its mind, and Iran’s foreign minister rejected the talks, because he said the U.S. raised “other issues.”