Posted on 05/25/2003 5:58:21 PM PDT by blam
Iran blames Americans for failure of 'thaw' talks
By Alan Philps in Baghdad
(Filed: 26/05/2003)
An attempt to thaw relations between America and Iran - estranged for the past 24 years - has broken down, complicating US efforts to stabilise the Middle East and form a democratic government in Iraq.
The dialogue collapsed after the May 12 suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia, with American officials accusing Iran of harbouring al-Qa'eda terrorists allegedly involved in the attack.
Washington is now considering "an aggressive policy of trying to destabilise the Iranian government", according to the Washington Post.
The two countries had been meeting in Geneva to discuss the next government in Baghdad, which America hopes Iranian-based exiles will join.
Kamal Kharrazi, the Iranian foreign minister, confirmed that the dialogue was off, and he blamed the Americans, saying their policy in Iraq was confused.
Mr Kharrazi said: "This dialogue has now stopped and we see no reason to revive it for the time being. We entered into an honest dialogue with the Americans to create a government in Iraq that has popular support, but they kept on changing their minds and also changing their representatives in Iraq."
Bush administration leaders are to meet tomorrow for a summit on Iran policy, following suggestions that al-Qa'eda figures in Iran were involved in the May 12 suicide bombings.
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