Amid Friction, Plans for U.S.-Iran Talks on Iraq
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN and HASSAN M. FATTAH
Published: May 14, 2007
CAIRO, May 13 — The diplomatic tussle between Iran and the United States intensified Sunday as leaders from both countries toured Middle Eastern capitals seeking to shore up relationships, even as signs of new cooperation over Iraq emerged between them.
Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday afternoon, the first trip there by an Iranian leader since the country’s founding in 1971, seeking to improve a strategic trade partnership just as Vice President Dick Cheney landed in Cairo as part of a Middle East tour meant to mollify America’s regional allies and strengthen support against Iran.
The visits occurred as officials from both countries announced that Ryan C. Crocker, the American ambassador to Iraq, would meet with his Iranian counterpart in Baghdad in coming weeks to discuss Iraqi security efforts and cooperation between the countries.
In the Emirates’ capital, Abu Dhabi, Mr. Ahmadinejad met with Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan, the president, and with Dubai’s ruler, Sheik Muhammad bin Rahid al-Maktoum, the Emirates’ vice president, seeking to emphasize the importance of Iran’s relationship with the Emirates, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported.
“We consider progress and prosperity of the U.A.E. as our own,” Mr. Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.
But the Emirates’ leaders sought to ease the confrontation between the United States and Iran. Sheik Khalifa told Mr. Ahmadinejad that the Emirates sought the “elimination of the causes of tension in the Middle East,” especially in the Persian Gulf, the Emirates’ official news agency WAM reported.
“He is on a damage-control mission,” said Abdel Khaliq Abdallah, a professor of political science at United Arab Emirates University, referring to Mr. Ahmadinejad. “So maybe it’s about time for us to be as frank as possible that we really think he and Iran are playing a dangerous game with the world community.”
Later Sunday, Mr. Ahmadinejad went to Dubai, where he met with members of the Iranian Business Council, an Iranian trade group, and members of the Iranian community. Dubai is home to more than 500,000 Iranians who rely on the emirate as a focal point for trade and travel.
Speaking to several hundred people, many of them flag-waving Iranians, in a highly unusual political gathering held in a soccer stadium, he called for America to leave the region, The Associated Press reported. “The nations of the region can no longer take you forcing yourself on them,” he was quoted as saying.
At almost the same time, Mr. Cheney landed in Cairo for three hours of talks with President Hosni Mubarak and top military officials to discuss Iraq as well as Iran’s growing regional influence. The vice president made no public comment after his visit here, part of a swing through the Middle East that included visits to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and an American warship in the Persian Gulf.
Mr. Mubarak’s spokesman said Mr. Cheney had “focused especially on the situation in Iraq and the gulf, the security arrangements of the gulf and the relation with the Iranian nuclear program.”
Despite the growing tensions between the United States and Iran, the announcement of planned talks on Iraq brought new hope for cooperation to help stabilize Iraq. A previous plan for talks fell through.
“Following consultations between Iranian and Iraqi officials, Tehran has agreed to hold negotiations with Washington to relieve pain and suffering of the Iraqi people, support and strengthen the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and stabilize security and peace in that country,” said Mohammad Ali Hosseini, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, in comments reported by IRNA.
White House officials said the talks flowed from an effort by the two countries, including meetings on the margins of conferences on stabilizing Iraq that were held in Baghdad in March and in Cairo last week.
“The purpose is to try to make sure that the Iranians play a productive role in Iraq,” the White House spokesman, Gordon D. Johndroe, told reporters on Air Force One en route to Virginia. “This is an ongoing process of trying to make sure that Iraq’s neighbors, of which Iran is obviously a major one, play a constructive role.”
Michael Slackman reported from Cairo, and Hassan M. Fattah from Beirut, Lebanon. Nada El-Sawy contributed reporting from Dubai, and Sheryl Gay Stolberg from Air Force One.
Published: May 14, 2007
CAIRO, May 13 — The diplomatic tussle between Iran and the United States intensified Sunday as leaders from both countries toured Middle Eastern capitals seeking to shore up relationships, even as signs of new cooperation over Iraq emerged between them.
Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday afternoon, the first trip there by an Iranian leader since the country’s founding in 1971, seeking to improve a strategic trade partnership just as Vice President Dick Cheney landed in Cairo as part of a Middle East tour meant to mollify America’s regional allies and strengthen support against Iran.
The visits occurred as officials from both countries announced that Ryan C. Crocker, the American ambassador to Iraq, would meet with his Iranian counterpart in Baghdad in coming weeks to discuss Iraqi security efforts and cooperation between the countries.
In the Emirates’ capital, Abu Dhabi, Mr. Ahmadinejad met with Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan, the president, and with Dubai’s ruler, Sheik Muhammad bin Rahid al-Maktoum, the Emirates’ vice president, seeking to emphasize the importance of Iran’s relationship with the Emirates, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported.
“We consider progress and prosperity of the U.A.E. as our own,” Mr. Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.
But the Emirates’ leaders sought to ease the confrontation between the United States and Iran. Sheik Khalifa told Mr. Ahmadinejad that the Emirates sought the “elimination of the causes of tension in the Middle East,” especially in the Persian Gulf, the Emirates’ official news agency WAM reported.
“He is on a damage-control mission,” said Abdel Khaliq Abdallah, a professor of political science at United Arab Emirates University, referring to Mr. Ahmadinejad. “So maybe it’s about time for us to be as frank as possible that we really think he and Iran are playing a dangerous game with the world community.”
Later Sunday, Mr. Ahmadinejad went to Dubai, where he met with members of the Iranian Business Council, an Iranian trade group, and members of the Iranian community. Dubai is home to more than 500,000 Iranians who rely on the emirate as a focal point for trade and travel.
Speaking to several hundred people, many of them flag-waving Iranians, in a highly unusual political gathering held in a soccer stadium, he called for America to leave the region, The Associated Press reported. “The nations of the region can no longer take you forcing yourself on them,” he was quoted as saying.
At almost the same time, Mr. Cheney landed in Cairo for three hours of talks with President Hosni Mubarak and top military officials to discuss Iraq as well as Iran’s growing regional influence. The vice president made no public comment after his visit here, part of a swing through the Middle East that included visits to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and an American warship in the Persian Gulf.
Mr. Mubarak’s spokesman said Mr. Cheney had “focused especially on the situation in Iraq and the gulf, the security arrangements of the gulf and the relation with the Iranian nuclear program.”
Despite the growing tensions between the United States and Iran, the announcement of planned talks on Iraq brought new hope for cooperation to help stabilize Iraq. A previous plan for talks fell through.
“Following consultations between Iranian and Iraqi officials, Tehran has agreed to hold negotiations with Washington to relieve pain and suffering of the Iraqi people, support and strengthen the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and stabilize security and peace in that country,” said Mohammad Ali Hosseini, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, in comments reported by IRNA.
White House officials said the talks flowed from an effort by the two countries, including meetings on the margins of conferences on stabilizing Iraq that were held in Baghdad in March and in Cairo last week.
“The purpose is to try to make sure that the Iranians play a productive role in Iraq,” the White House spokesman, Gordon D. Johndroe, told reporters on Air Force One en route to Virginia. “This is an ongoing process of trying to make sure that Iraq’s neighbors, of which Iran is obviously a major one, play a constructive role.”
Michael Slackman reported from Cairo, and Hassan M. Fattah from Beirut, Lebanon. Nada El-Sawy contributed reporting from Dubai, and Sheryl Gay Stolberg from Air Force One.
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