Iran frightened by US Iraq negotiations

BBC:

Iraq will not allow its territory to be used to attack Iran, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has said during a visit to Tehran.

He was speaking after meeting Iran's foreign minister and is later due to meet President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The role of the US in Iraq is high on the agenda, with Tehran concerned about a treaty under discussion on the terms of the US military's future in Iraq.

Iran's alleged backing for militants in Iraq is also likely to be discussed.

"We will not allow Iraq to become a platform for harming the security of Iran and neighbours," Iranian state-run media quoted Mr Maliki as saying after late-night talks with Manouchehr Mottaki.

...

The obvious quid pro quo for this is Iran must stop supporting the militias in Iraq. The Iraqis have the leverage in this conversation right now with Iran and they would be wise to use it. Iran will have to back off its cat and mouse game with the US.

People do not comprehend how vulnerable Iran feels at this point with US forces on two of its borders. Obama may think Iran has been strengthened by the US war in Iraq, but Iran certainly does not.

CNN's report adds some nuance to the trip.

...

Earlier, al-Maliki's media adviser, Ali Hadi, said negotiations between Iraq and the United States are in their "very early stages."

"The treaty is purely an Iraqi-American treaty; the Iranians have nothing to do with it. We will not discuss the progress or the key elements of agreements or disagreements with them because this is an Iraqi issue," Hadi said.

...


Yep, I think he is there to tell them to quit supporting a proxy war with the US in Iraq.

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