International

U.S., Iranian envoys trade charges at Baghdad meet

Atul Aneja

Tehran accused of aiding militants, Ambassador denies allegations

DUBAI: Amid growing tensions, Iran and the United States began their second round of direct talks in Baghdad on Tuesday.

Talks were held at the ambassadorial level. Hasan Kazemi Qomi, the Iranian envoy to Iraq represented Tehran, while Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, led the American delegation to the talks. Both sides said the situation in Iraq was the focus of discussions.

Iran exercises substantial influence in Iraq which has a majority Shia population. Most of Iraq’s present leaders have had a long association with Iran.

The Associated Press quoted Iraqi officials as saying that there was a heated exchange between the two delegation heads soon after the talks opened.

Mr. Crocker apparently accused Iran of supporting Shia militants who were involved in killing American forces. Mr. Qomi hotly denied the charges, saying that there was no proof to substantiate them.

Prior to the talks, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mohammad Ali Hosseini, reiterated that Iraq’s crisis could be defused with the exit of U.S. forces and by respecting the independence of the Iraqi Government.

However, he expressed scepticism about the American approach towards the crisis. “American officials would rather find their own solution to a problem of their own creation than agree to Iran’s realistic approach,” Mr. Hosseini said.

The continued detention of at least five Iranian officials who were seized by the Americans from an Iranian official building in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil in February has been an irritant in the talks.

The recent arrest by Tehran of four Americans of Iranian descent, who have been accused of espionage, has also sullied the “atmospherics” ahead of the talks.

The deep differences between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear programme are also fuelling tensions. According to the Iraqi parliamentarian, Mahmud Othman, “Nothing much is expected from the U.S.-Iran meeting.” He added, “the U.S. wants Iran to keep off Iraq and Iran wants U.S. to leave.”

Meanwhile, there has been no let-up in the violence in Iraq.

At least 22 persons have been killed and more than 60 injured in a suicide car bombing in the mainly Shia town of Hilla, 100 km south of Baghdad.

Many of the victims were women and children. Nearly 15 cars were engulfed in the blaze that followed the attack.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu