After historic talks, US seeks action by Iran

Security in Iraq was the focus of the first US-Iran talks in nearly 30 years on Monday.

from the May 29, 2007 edition

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Opponents of the talks say they could open the door to Iran developing a nuclear weapon and extending its influence in the region even further.

"The US-Iran talks are deeply unpopular among some elements in Washington and Tehran," says Mr. Cole. "The Cheney camp is reported to be opposed to them, and the arrests [in Iran] of Iranian-American academics in recent days may well be an attempt by some in the camp of [President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad to sabotage these talks."

Steven Clemons, publisher of the Washington Note blog and director of the American strategy program at the New American Foundation in Washington, goes further. He says his recent discussions with some White House officials indicate Mr. Cheney "fears that the president is taking diplomacy with Iran too seriously."

Cheney, Mr. Clemons says, believes Bush is committing a "disastrous mistake" by talking to Iran.

In Iran, the more extremist elements aligned with Mr. Ahmadinejad believe Iran has extended its power and influence in the region over recent years by standing up to the US, not talking to it.

For now, the US-Iran dialogue suggests a new pragmatism. But more immediately, the US is concerned about Iran's growing influence in the south, Cole says. He notes that the Iraqi political party most closely aligned with Iran, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC) , controls nine of 11 provincial administrations where there are substantial Shiite populations, including Baghdad. In addition, the SIIC's Badr Brigade militia has recently stepped up its participation in a ferocious battle by SIIC to take over Basra, at the hub of Iraq's rich southern oil fields, from another Shiite group, the Islamic Virtue Party or Fadhila. "Control of Basra would mean control of refineries and gasoline smuggling, worth billions," says Cole.

Hafeid says Iran wants the US out of Iraq. But by emphasizing in Monday's talks that the US has not done enough to train and equip Iraq's new security forces, the Iranians seemed to be suggesting it doesn't want the US to leave just yet.

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