The United States and Iran are not seeing eye-to eye, but at least they are talking in the first high-level meeting focusing upon Iraq.

The United States and the Bush administration have insisted that Iran has fomented terror in Iraq, supporting the Shiite forces with materials in the sectarian war with the Sunnis and have nuclear bomb designs.

The Iranians do not favor the American policy in Iraq or in the Middle East, in general and want and end of American forces in Iraq.

Today, Iran and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker met an Iranian counterpart for approximately four hours to discuss these issues. 

 "This is about actions not just principles, and I laid out to the Iranians direct, specific concerns about their behavior in Iraq and their support for militias that are fighting Iraqi and coalition forces," Crocker at a Green Zone news conference.

There is an issue as to whether there would be further discussions.

 
"We will consider that when we receive it," Crocker told reporters in the U.S.-controlled Green Zone. "The purpose this meeting was not to arrange other meetings," Crocker said.

Relations between Iran and the U.S. have been sour since the Iranian revolution during the days of President Jimmy Carter and have manifested, more so, with the Iraq War.  Also, Iran has posed a great threat to Israel, yet, the United States let its forces be known earlier this week by naval military testing operations.

The key to the success of the talks with Iran and the United States could be al Maliki, the Iraq Prime Minister who wants a country free of foreign involvement although he has not formally asked the United States to leave that country. 

Speaking in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said
"We are hopeful that Washington's realistic approach to the current issues of Iraq by confessing its failed policy in Iraq and the region and by showing a determination to changing the policy guarantees success of the talks and possible further talks," Mottaki said.

It is undecided what the next step would be in this possible Iran-United States talks, there are serious disagreements and animosities but, at least they are talking.
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