Iran on Tuesday warned that the United States would be made to "regret" its detention of five Iranian officials in Iraq but said it was still prepared to consider continuing talks with its arch foe. "We will make the Americans regret their ugly and illegal action against the consulate of Iran in Arbil in Iraq and kidnapping five of our diplomats," Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said, according to state television.
Mottaki added that Iran in the next two days would send a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon protesting "the lack of attention and clear, indefensible discrimination of the Security Council" on the issue.
The United States in January detained five Iranian officials working for an Iranian office in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil, accusing them of belonging to the elite special operations force of the Revolutionary Guards.
However, Iranian officials on Tuesday appeared to express readiness to continue the talks on Iraq, as Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh visited Tehran. "If the Americans decide to change their policies on Iraq we will examine positively a request from the Iraqi government to continue the discussions with the United States," Mottaki said.
"It is agreed that Iran will examine positively a request from the Iraqi government to continue discussions with the United States," added Kazemi Qomi, in Tehran for Saleh's visit. The date "will depend on the invitation of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. This should not come too late," he added.
