US-Iran talks cover Iraq, Al Qaeda & Afghanistan

TEHRAN, May 21: Iran and the United States are holding

back channel talks on Afghanistan, Iraq and the Al

Qaeda terror network, a leading Iranian parliamentary

official said on Wednesday.

Elaheh Koulaie, rapporteur for parliament's National

Security and Foreign Affairs Committee, said Foreign

Minister Kamal Kharazi informed the panel on Tuesday

of the agenda, the state news agency Irna reported.

Also up for discussion was the Iraq-based Iranian

opposition group, the People's Mujahedeen, she said,

while also making the first official Iranian reference

to talks with the US on Al Qaeda.

"The messages passed between the two parties were not

only fruitful and positive, they also helped to

overcome skepticism," Ms Koulaie quoted Mr Kharazi as

telling the committee.

A UN spokeswoman in Geneva said on May 13 that Iran

and the United States, which cut diplomatic relations

23 years ago, were holding behind-the-scenes talks in

the "Geneva Group".

The forum was set up under the UN framework in 2000 to

coordinate and discuss issues linked to the US-led war

on Afghanistan. It also includes representatives from

Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Russia and

Uzbekistan.

Successful US-Iranian discussions on Afghanistan were

seen by some reformists in Iran as an opportunity to

improve ties with the United States.US officials have

also confirmed that the two sides have held several

meetings on the Iraq crisis and Afghanistan in Geneva,

the most recent one reportedly in early May.

However, they have stressed that the issue of

restoring diplomatic relations is not on the table.

"The question of bilateral relations has never been

raised. As long as the conditions for re-establishing

relations do not exist, Iran's position will remain

the same," government spokesman Abdullah Ramezandadeh

said on Tuesday.-AFP ( Daily Dawn )