U.S.-Iran Talks on Iraq to Begin May 28

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, right speaks as his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari, left, looks on after their meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan on Wednesday, May 16, 2007. Zebari and Mottaki are in Pakistan to attend the 34th session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, discussing the various regional and Middle East related issues. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) (Anjum Naveed - AP)

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Senior U.S and Iranian officials will meet in Baghdad on May 28 to discuss escalating violence in Iraq, both governments confirmed Thursday.

Iraqi leaders have been pressing the two countries with the most influence on the crisis to help end the turmoil. And after reluctant agreement from the Bush administration, the meeting is expected to be the start of the first sustained process of negotiations with Iran since the war began in 2003.

These will be the first high-level talks between Americans and Iranians since a one-day conference in Baghdad in March.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker will head the U.S. delegation and expressed hope that Iran would take action to back up its stated interest in establishing a safe and secure Iraq.

Crocker said he would raise alleged Iranian aid to Iraqi militants.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, who gave the initial word on the date of talks during a visit to Pakistan, insisted the presence of U.S. troops is at the root of Iraq's instability.

"Terrorists say that 'We are doing this because of the foreign forces,' and the foreign forces (are) saying that 'We are here because of the terrorist groups,'" Mottaki told reporters in Islamabad, where he has been attending a meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

"We do believe that a correct approach to Iraq should look to both points, or both areas of the difficulty," he added.

Mottaki said the negotiations would be exclusively about Iraq and that a first meeting in the presence of Iraqi officials would try to set a more detailed agenda.

"Nothing but Iraq is on the agenda," he said.

Crocker, speaking before the State Department confirmed the date of the talks, said the U.S. will be pushing Iran to be a helpful neighbor, and raising allegations that Tehran is providing Shiite militants in Iraq with armor-piercing roadside bombs that have been used against American troops. Iran has rejected the accusation.

He declined to be more specific about items that might be on the agenda, but said the talks would be an opportunity for Iran to move into a "whole new era in its relationship with Iraq."