U.S., Iran hold 'talks', future meetings in dispute

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker sits across the table from his Iranian counterpart Hassan Kazemi Qomi during talks yesterday

BAGHDAD -- The U.S. ambassador met with his Iranian counterpart in Baghdad on Monday in the first formal bilateral talks between the two nations in more than a quarter century, though the talks alone were characterized by U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker as unlikely to lead to specific gains to reduce violence in Iraq...

Crocker said both governments shared broad agreement on the need for a secure, stable Iraq -- the sole focus of talks.

The Associated Press quoted Iranian Ambassador Hassan Kazemi Qomi saying the two sides would meet again within the month, but Crocker told reporters in Baghdad that results would have to precede future conversations between the two parties.

"This is about actions, not just principles, and I laid out before the Iranians a number of our direct specific concerns about their behavior in Iraq, their support for militias that are fighting both the Iraqi security forces and coalition forces," Crocker said after the meeting.

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