Iran Ready for Talks with the U.S. about Iraq

A top Iranian official stated on Thursday that his country is willing to hold talks with the United Stated on Iraq. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator, stated: "We accept this proposal and we will appoint a negotiating team for talks soon," after saying that Iran is not interested in discussion regarding the pulling out of Iraq of American troops.

Larijani's statement, which comes after a top Iraqi leader called for such talks, marks a change in the Iranian foreign policy. The country accepted the request of negotiating with Washington from Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the head of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, in the desire to promote a free and independent government in Iraq. This is the first time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution when Iran is open to a dialogue with the U.S.

"We want the wise Iranian leadership to open a clear dialogue with America regarding Iraq and reach an understanding on disputed issues in Iraq, a dialogue for the benefit of the Iraqi people," Hakim stated.

The present statement comes while the U.S. makes desperate diplomatic efforts to stop Iran from its nuclear ambitions, accused by Washington of allowing weapons and insurgents to cross its borders into Iraq.

"I demand the leadership in Iran to open a clear dialogue with America about Iraq. It is in the interests of the Iraqi people that such dialogue is opened and to find an understanding on various issues," Hakim asserted on a Shiite television station on Wednesday.