THE UNITED STATES IS WILLING TO HOLD NEW DIRECT TALKS WITH IRAN ON THE SECURITY SITUATION IN IRAQ, THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SAID TUESDAY, ACCUSING TEHRAN OF FOMENTING INSTABILITY IN IRAQ. “WE THINK THAT GIVEN THE SITUATION IN IRAQ AND GIVEN IRAN'S CONTINUED BEHAVIOR 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 BEHAVIOR,” 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,” MCCORMACK SAID, REFERRING TO SO-CALLED EXPLOSIVELY FORMED PENETRATORS, DEVICES THAT CAN PIERCE THE ARMORED VEHICLES USED BY U.S. TROOPS IN IRAQ. “IT IS IMPORTANT TO DIRECTLY CONVEY TO THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR CHANGING THEIR BEHAVIOR, NOT ONLY FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR TROOPS, BUT ALSO FOR THE FUTURE OF IRAQ,” MCCORMACK ADDED. THE SPOKESMAN SAID NO DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR A ROUND OF TALKS, WHICH WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME U.S. AND IRANIAN OFFICIALS HAVE SAT DOWN SINCE A MAY MEETING BETWEEN U.S. AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ RYAN CROCKER AND IRANIAN DIPLOMATS. THAT MEETING WAS THE HIGHEST FORMAL CONTACT BETWEEN TEHRAN AND WASHINGTON IN 27 YEARS, BUT APPEARED TO PRODUCE RELATIVELY LITTLE GOOD WILL. INSTEAD, TENSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES SEEM TO BE DEEPENING, WITH THE UNITED STATES CONTINUING TO ACCUSE IRAN OF SUPPLYING WEAPONS TO IRAQI MILITANTS, AND TEHRAN REFUSING TO RELEASE FOUR IRANIAN-AMERICAN SCHOLARS AND ACTIVISTS CHARGED WITH ENDANGERING NATIONAL SECURITY. EARLIER TUESDAY, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MANOUCHEHR MOTTAKI SAID IRAN WOULD AGREE TO A SECOND ROUND OF TALKS ON IRAQ IF WASHINGTON OFFICIALLY REQUESTS ONE. “WE LOOK POSITIVELY AT HOLDING A SECOND ROUND OF TALKS. THERE EXISTS A POSSIBILITY TO HOLD SUCH TALKS IN THE NEAR FUTURE,” MOTTAKI TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE IN TEHRAN. HE SAID NO REQUEST HAD YET BEEN CONVEYED THROUGH OFFICIAL CHANNELS.
