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| Iraq |
| Iraqi Shia leader optimistic on planned Iran-US meeting |
| 2007-05-19 |
| BAGHDAD - Planned talks between the United States and Iran in Baghdad are “the first promising step for free and direct bilateral talks” between the two adversaries, a cleric close to Iraqi Shia leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said on Friday. In his Friday sermon in a Najaf mosque, Shia Imam Sadr Eddin al- Qabanji expressed hope that the Iranian-US talks would lead to peace between the US and Iran amid regional concern over a potential war. Al-Qabanji added that although the upcoming talks would be focused on Iraq, Iraqis themselves had to have the final say on Iraqi affairs. US ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker is to meet with Iranian representatives in Baghdad on May 28 amid US accusations that Tehran has been fomenting violence in Iraq by providing material support to Shia militant groups responsible for attacks on US soldiers as well as aggravating Shia and Sunni tensions. |
| Posted by:Steve White |