Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Wednesday Iran would study with a positive view Iraq's request for holding the second round of talks with the US. Mottaki was speaking to IRNA after seeing off Iraqi President Jalal Talabani at Tehran Mehrabad International Airport.
"Iraqi officials have made the request. We have stressed we will examine their request with a positive view after the US responds to the request," Mottaki conveyed.
The first round of Iran-US talks on Iraq was held on May 28 in Baghdad at ambassadorial level. Based on an agreement reached at the first round of talks, it was agreed the Iraqi officials would invite Tehran and Washington to hold the second round of talks.
Asked about the five Iranian diplomats detained in the Iraqi city of Erbil by US forces since January, the minister said, "During today (Wednesday) meeting with Talabani, I seriously called him on to devise strategies to release Iran's consular officials at the earliest."
He added, "Talabani briefed us on measures he has taken so far and promised to seriously follow up the case." Mottaki expressed hope the efforts would lead to speedy release of the detained diplomats.
