Iran, US Reportedly Meet over Iraq
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iranian and American officials have reportedly discussed Iraq’s security crisis on the sidelines of the fifth round of nuclear negotiations underway in the Austrian capital, Vienna.
Quoting three sources familiar with the matter, Reuters said US and Iranian officials discussed the crisis in Iraq on the sidelines of separate negotiations about the Iranian nuclear program.
"The disastrous situation in Iraq was discussed today . No specific outcome was achieved," a senior Iranian official told Reuters of the talks on Iraq. "Iran is a great country that can play a key role in restoring stability in Iraq and the region."
"Military cooperation was not discussed and is not an option," the senior Iranian official added. "The final decision will be taken by capitals."
Also, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf told CNN that the United States and Iran held "very brief discussions" about Iraq and the threat posed by ISIS on the sidelines of those negotiations.
Earlier, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for African and Middle Eastern Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian had said Tehran had no negotiations with Washington over the recent security crisis in Iraq.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has not had any negotiations with US regarding the joint operation against recent terrorist attacks in Iraq. We believe that the Iraqi nation and their armed forces are capable enough to defuse the recent fabricated crisis in their country,” Amir Abdollahian told reporters on Monday.
The senior diplomat reiterated that Iran will have no direct intervention in Iraq regarding the security crisis in the country, but will offer consultations and support to the Iraqi government.
He also pointed to the Fatwa (religious decree) issued by the senior clerics in Iraq, calling on people to take up arms against the terrorists, calling it ‘a great capacity’ for restoring peace and stability in Iraq.
Following the ISIL advances, Iraq's senior Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in a Fatwa (religious decree) called on Iraqis to take up arms against fighters who were advancing towards Baghdad.
Shortly after Sistani made his appeal, thousands of volunteers from different Iraqi cities made their way down to army camps to join anti-terrorist forces.
