Iran says no plans to talk with US on Iraq security

ANKARA - Iran has no plans to negotiate with the United States to help make Iraq safe after US troops start leaving, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said.

"Negotiating with America is not on our agenda or programme," he told a news conference via a translator.

Newsweek magazine reported on Monday that US President George W. Bush had authorised his ambassador in Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, to begin a diplomatic dialogue with Iran about Iraq.

"There will be meetings, and that's also a departure and an adjustment," Khalilzad told Newsweek in an issue dated December 5.

A State Department spokesman said on Monday the United States wanted to discuss issues related to Iraq with Iran.

"It's a very narrow mandate that he (Khalilzad) has and it deals specifically with issues related to Iraq," he said.

Mottaki said Iran wanted the political process in Iraq improved and for the Iraqi people be allowed to decide their territorial integrity. He reiterated that foreign troops should leave Iraq.

- REUTERS