BAGHDAD (AFP) - The United States told Iran on Monday to stop supporting violent militias in war-ravaged Iraq, during the highest-level direct official talks between the arch-foes in 27 years.
US ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker said he met Iranian ambassador Hassan Kazemi for four hours in Baghdad in the first such high-level encounter since the countries severed diplomatic relations in 1980.
Crocker said he had insisted that Iran must back up its claimed support for Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's beleaguered government by cutting off support for armed factions fighting in Iraq.