Talks reveal Iran's bad conduct in Iraq

BBC:

Iran has increased support for militia groups in Iraq in recent months, the US ambassador in Baghdad has said.

Ryan Crocker spoke after meeting his Iranian counterpart for rare talks on Iraq's security crisis, only the second direct meeting in almost three decades.

Washington blames Tehran for fomenting violence in Iraq, while the Iranians are demanding the US withdraws troops.

But the US and Iran did agree to form a security committee, with Iraq, to focus on containing Sunni insurgents.

The committee would concentrate on the threat from groups such as al-Qaeda in Iraq, officials said, but not those militia groups the US accuses Iran of funding and training.

The talks, described as heated, started after a plea from Iraq's prime minister to support stability in his country.

Nouri Maliki appealed for help to counter extremism, warning it reached beyond the country's borders.

"We are hoping that you support stability in Iraq, an Iraq that doesn't interfere in the affairs of others nor wants anyone to meddle in its own affairs," he said in a statement released by his office.

Speaking at a news conference after the talks, Mr Crocker described events since the previous bilateral meeting as "not exactly encouraging".

"What we have been seeing on the ground over the last couple of months represents an escalation, not a de-escalation," he said.

But Iraq's Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari, held out hope that co-operation on the committee could bode well for future talks.

"We hope that the next round of talks will be on a higher level if progress is made," he said.

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The problem is that Iran views progress as increased support of militias in Iraq, not decreased support or no support. I guess one benefit of the talks is that Maliki and the other Iraqis got to see the duplicity of the Iranians on full display. The chances of anything else productive coming out of these meetings is remote.