Iran Positive about New Talks with US over Iraq

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency) Iran’s envoy to Baghdad says Tehran has presented proposals on the security situation in Iraq which might pave the way for “a positive outcome” in the next round of talks with the US.

Hassan Kezemi Qomi said the Iraqi government welcomed the proposals of the Iranian delegation, which is currently visiting Iraq, but did not talk about the details.

He said Iran has accepted to hold new talks with the US “merely to help restore stability and peace to Iraq”, stressing that a safe Iraq would help establish security in the region.

Meanwhile, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani reaffirmed his government’s adherence to Algiers Border Convention with Iran, describing it as an international agreement.

Following his meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Baghdad Qomi in Sulaymaniyah, Talabani said that the treaty remained still valid.

“In my view, this agreement is not nullified,” Talabani said in Persian, the language spoken in Iran.”I’m calling for a long-term strategic agreement between Iran and Iraq.”

Talabani’s new comments were a withdrawal of the statements attributed to him in an interview with the London-based Al-Hayat daily.

He said that the Algiers Agreement was signed between Iraq and Iran, adding it cannot be nullified unilaterally.

Qomi said the Iraqi president stressed that the agreement was binding and also expressed Iraq’s interest to expand ties with Iran in all fields.

Qomi said Iran has signed more than 70 cooperation agreements with Iraq in different fields in recent years, adding Talabani called for prompt execution of the agreements.

The Iraqi president also promised to facilitate release of all Iranians imprisoned in Iraq, he added.

“We have prepared a list of 80 Iranians imprisoned in Iraq and have asked for their release.”

Qomi said President Talabani repeated his invitation for President Ahmadinejad to pay an official visit to Iraq and expressed hope that it would take place soon.

Talabani said Iran’s participation at the next round of talks with the Americans was taking place upon his invitation and that of the prominent Iraqi politician Abdulaziz al-Hakim.