Iran is ready under certain circumstances to help the United States withdraw its troops from neighbouring Iraq, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Saturday.
"If the United States changes its attitude, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to help this administration" to withdraw its troops from Iraq, Mottaki told a Gulf security conference in Bahrain, the home base of the US Fifth Fleet.
By Christian Chaisse
Iran is ready under certain circumstances to help the United States withdraw its troops from neighbouring Iraq, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Saturday.
"If the United States changes its attitude, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to help this administration" to withdraw its troops from Iraq, Mottaki told a Gulf security conference in Bahrain, the home base of the US Fifth Fleet.
"The key to solve Iraq's problems is the withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq," he said, adding that "the United States should help themselves before anybody else".
"When they have said they have decided to withdraw from Iraq, then we will explain how the region can help," Mottaki said. "The essential thing is to have a realistic picture of the current situation in Iraq."
Opening a dialogue with Iran and its regional ally Syria was one of the key recommendations of a bipartisan panel set up to review US policy in Iraq after three and a half years of escalating conflict.
The Iraq Study Group, co-chaired by former secretary of state James Baker, recommended Wednesday that Washington hold direct talks with Iran and Syria -- until now a diplomatic red line for an administration that has long branded the two states part of an "axis of evil."
"Given the ability of Iran and Syria to influence events within Iraq and their interest in avoiding chaos in Iraq, the United States should try to engage them constructively," said the report by the 10-member panel of veteran Washington insiders.
But Mottaki said the report was "half of the truth, not all" and that "changing the policy is not enough".
"We do believe there are so many other steps that should be taken by the Americans" before talks are held.
"First, and most essential, is announcing they have decided to withdraw from Iraq," Mottaki said, adding that "we don't see the political will in the United States yet."
President George W. Bush said Thursday that Iran and Syria must stop helping extremists and undertake to help Iraq's fledgling government before any talks.
"If people come to the table to discuss Iraq, they need to come understanding their responsibilities to not fund terrorists, to help this young democracy survive, to help with the economics of the country," he said after talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
"And if people are not committed, if Syria and Iran is not committed to that concept, then they shouldn't bother to show up," said Bush, who also ruled out direct talks with Iran unless it verifiably freezes sensitive nuclear work.
