<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/09/AR2006120900276.html> Iran sets conditions for talks with U.S. on Iraq By Mohammed Abbas Reuters Saturday, December 9, 2006; 10:44 AM
MANAMA (Reuters) - Iran will only hold direct talks with the United States on Iraq if Washington announces plans to pull its troops out, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Saturday.
Mottaki was responding to this week's U.S. Iraq Study Group report, which recommended Washington should directly engage with Iran and Syria to try to stabilize Iraq.
President Bush has said he will not talk to Iran unless it suspends its nuclear program.
On the question of direct talks, "the first and most essential step ... is the United States announce they have decided to withdraw from Iraq," Mottaki told reporters at a security conference in Bahrain.
"Iran is ready to help the administration to withdraw its troops from Iraq," he said, but his country did not "see such political will yet in the United States."
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