Are we witnessing the attempted creation of a “Shia bloc” consisting of Iran and Iraq? From CNN:
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran is willing to hold talks with the United States on Iraq, a top Iranian official said Thursday, according to a report by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
Ali Larijani, Tehran’s chief nuclear negotiator and head of the country’s Supreme National Security Council, made the comments during a closed-door session of Iran’s parliament, IRNA said.
Larijani’s statement comes a day after a top Iraqi leader called for such talks and marks a major shift in Iranian foreign policy, The Associated Press reported.
Larijani said Iran had accepted a request from Abdul Aziz al-Hakim that Tehran negotiate with Washington, IRNA said. Al-Hakim is the head of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
The United States has accused Iran of sending fighters into Iraq and of providing materials for bombs. Iran denies the accusations.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently called Iran “the greatest challenge of any single country” facing America…
Gee Condi, perhaps someone should have thought of that before we allowed the Shia take-over of Iraq.