IRAQ:The United States is ready to hold new direct talks with Iran on the deteriorating security situation in Iraq, the state department said yesterday.
The Bush administration has previously accused Tehran of supporting Shia insurgents in Iraq.
"We think that given the situation in Iraq and given Iran's continued behaviour that is leading to further instability in Iraq, that it would be appropriate to have another face-to-face meeting to directly convey to the Iranian authorities that if they wish to see a more stable, secure, peaceful Iraq, which is what they have said they would like to see, that they need to change their behaviour," spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.
"They need to stop supporting sectarian militias that are exacerbating sectarian tensions, they need to stop supporting EFP networks that pose a threat to our troops," he said, referring to explosively formed penetrators, devices crafted to penetrate armoured vehicles.
Mr McCormack said no date for the talks had yet been arranged.
Earlier yesterday, Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran was willing to hold a second round of talks with the US over stabilising Iraq if Washington officially conveyed its request to Tehran.
Speaking ahead of the US announcement on the possibility of new direct discussions, Mr Mottaki said: "We look positively at holding a second round of talks. There exists a possibility to hold such talks in the near future."
However, he said the US has to make the request for such talks through official channels.
The Iraqi government, which is backed by the US but closely allied to Iran, has been trying to get the two sides together, hoping some co-operation will reduce violence in the war-torn country.
Mr Mottaki said the US has to ask for such talks through official channels, meaning the Swiss embassy in Tehran - which looks after US interests in Iran in the absence of diplomatic relations.
"Iraqi authorities asked for it [ Iran-US talks]. They [ the Iraqi government] were told that the US demand has to be given to Iran through the official channel, that is the Swiss embassy in Tehran," Mr Mottaki told reporters.