Iran Talks Raise Tension, But Not Consensus

On first day of sitdown, parties still tangled over allegations of interference
By Sam Biddle,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 24, 2007 6:09 PM CDT
Iran Talks Raise Tension, But Not Consensus
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker arrives at the Iraqi Prime Minister's office in the Green Zone, Baghdad, before a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Kazemi Qomi, unseen, on security in Iraq Monday, May 28, 2007. Iran and the United States resumed public diplomacy Monday for the first time...   (Associated Press)

The United States and Iran began their first day of diplomatic talks on Iraq today, but the Times reports that the summit is still tangled over US allegation that Iran is funding armed militias inside Iraq. Iran vehemently denied the charge today; an American official who attending the meeting said little progress was made.

US ambassador Ryan Crocker said there has been “an escalation, not a de-escalation" in attacks on American forces by Iranian-funded militias since the two countries broke a 30-year silence two months ago. He described today's meeting with dismay: "The actual concrete result can be distilled into a discussion of some few minutes.” (More Iran stories.)

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