Tehran willing to talk with US about Iraq
IRAN: At loggerheads with the United States over its nuclear
programme, Tehran said Thursday it was ready to negotiate with the
"Great Satan" to help stabilise neighboring Iraq.
The White House responded by saying any talks would not take up the
nuclear crisis or other disputes and that negotiators would have a "very
narrow mandate."
"We agree to negotiate with the Americans," the head of Iran's
Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani told reporters after a
closed-door speech to parliament.
"Iran accepts the demand of (Iraqi Shiite leader Abdel Aziz) Hakim to
resolve the Iraqi problems and issues with the goal of creating an
independent (Iraqi) government," said Larijani, also Iran's nuclear
chief.
Hakim, leader of one of Iraq's main Shiite parties, the Supreme
Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), called Wednesday for
a dialogue between longtime foes Iran and America.
His comments echoed those of the US ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay
Khalilzad, who said in a television interview Friday he was ready to
hold talks with Iran on matters of mutual concern.
President George W. Bush's administration has stepped up its
accusations in recent days about Iranian "meddling" in Iraq, adding to
the pressure over Tehran's disputed nuclear activities, which Iran says
is for peaceful purposes.
In Washington, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said: "The
nuclear issue is being discussed at the United Nations among diplomats
of the Security Council. That's a separate issue."
Asked whether negotiations on Iraq would be a step forward in US-Iran
relations, he replied: "Our views and concerns regarding the regime in
Iran are very clear, and we have a number of concerns about the regime.
The other issues are separate from this issue."
For his part, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas
Burns said it would be fruitless to try to negotiate with Tehran on its
nuclear program in view of the country's track record on the issue.
"The problem here is not the absence of discussions between the
United States and Iran, the problem is what Iran is doing," Burns told
reporters.
"We see an Iranian government, particularly since (President Mahmoud)
Ahmadinejad came to office, that seems bound and determined to create a
nuclear weapons capability.
"We have made the calculation (...) that it is better to try to
isolate the Iranian government."
"There is no way talks between the US and Iran over Iraq will get
anywhere if they are not tied in with negotiations over the nuclear
question, because Iran is using its ability to cause "harm and pain" to
the US in Iraq as leverage in that matter," said Joost Hiltermann,
director of the Brussels-based International Crisis group's Middle East
offices. Tehran, Friday, AFP |