Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said December 16 that the highest level at which talks between Iranian and U.S. officials over the security situation in Iraq would be held was at the ambassadorial level.
"There is no need to raise the level of talks," Mottaki told the Al-Alam News Network.
Iran has agreed to a fourth round of talks with the U.S. on Iraq security conditions.
The Iranian and U.S. Ambassadors to Iraq, Hassan Kazemi-Qomi and Ryan Crocker, met August 6 in Baghdad for the third round of security talks. The first and second rounds of negotiations were held in Baghdad on May 28 and July 24.
The negotiations have so far led to the establishment of a trilateral security committee between Iran, U.S., and Iraq to investigate issues such as support for militias and al-Qaeda in Iraq.
On another issue, Mottaki said Iran was "close" to restoring official ties with Egypt.
Source: Tehran Times, Iran, December 18, 2007
