Iranian officials visit Iraq to broker peace deal

[TeeYiYi]

Iranian officials visit Iraq to broker peace deal

By Tony Barber in Rome, Mohsen Asgari in Tehran and Roula Khalaf,in London

Published: April 15 2004 5:00 | Last Updated: April 15 2004 5:00

Representatives from Iran's foreign ministry were yesterday in Iraq for talks on ways to end the violence there amid suggestions from Kamal Kharrazi, the Iranian foreign minister, that the US had sought Tehran's help.

Iranian officials said Hosein Sadeqi, head of Gulf affairs at the foreign ministry, had arrived in Baghdad as Italy too turned to Iran to help secure four hostages kidnapped by Iraqi militants.

Franco Frattini, Italy's foreign minister, told Italian radio the government was counting on its relationship with various Islamic countries, but with Iran in particular, to help free the hostages. The hostage-takers have demanded Italy withdraw its 3,000-strong military and police contingent from Iraq, where it is the third largest foreign force.

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"There has been a lot of correspondence with the US about Iraq. Naturally there are such requests from the US that we help improve the situation in Iraq and we are making efforts in this regard," Mr Kharrazi was quoted as saying. But he said Iran had felt that the talks on Iraq were "going nowhere". The Americans, "give promises but don't keep their promises".

More: http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1079420356102

TYY

[MSgt213]

1. Soooo, is Iran still evil doers?

[TeeYiYi]

2. kick

TYY :kick: