Iraq's foreign minister said today the government had given up for the time being trying to organize talks between the United States and Iran about security in Iraq because of heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington.
Hoshyar Zebari did not blame either side for the situation but made clear that Iraq found it infuriating that its two most important allies were refusing to speak to each other about issues crucial to Iraq.
He said it had been an Iraqi initiative that led to the first talks in March 2007 and two subsequent rounds. None led to breakthroughs.
"At the beginning we said we don't have any unrealistic expectations - these meetings will not achieve miracles," Zebari told a news conference. He said those talks were "just the beginning," and the fact that they had taken place "is a major achievement."
However, Iraqi attempts to organize a fourth meeting have been thwarted, even though four different dates have been proposed, Zebari said.
In the meantime, relations between Iran and the United States have taken a sharp downward turn after accusations that Iran was deeply involved in violence that erupted in Iraq's Shiite areas in late March.
The Pentagon and U.S. military officials in Iraq have said Iranian-made weapons manufactured in 2008 have been found in areas of fighting, indicating that Iran had broken a promise made to Iraq late last year to stay out of the conflict here.
Iran denies the accusations, and it reacted angrily to an Iraqi parliament delegation that visited Tehran last week to discuss the allegations. Iraqi officials, who initially had repeated many of the U.S. claims, have scaled back their accusations in light of Iran's reaction.
Under the circumstances, Zebari said the idea of a fourth round of talks was not reasonable. "But still, the idea is not dead. We hope we will be able to resume it," he said.
Also today, the military announced the death of a U.S. Marine in western Anbar province. A brief announcement said the Marine was killed Tuesday while on patrol. At least 4,073 U.S. troops have died in Iraq since the start of the war, according to www.icasualties.org "> www.icasualties.org .
Tuesday, Iraqi security forces arrested 51 policemen, most of them in the Shiite militia stronghold of Shula in northwestern Baghdad. They were suspected of cooperating with militias. Also Tuedsay, police said a raid at a hospital in another Shiite district of northwestern Baghdad had led to the arrest of 13 employees suspected of working with militias. The suspects worked at the Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim hospital in Kadhimiya and included doctors and nurses.
Tina.susman@latimes.com
Special correspondents in Baghdad contributed to this report.
.
