Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Iraqi president arrives in Iran for talks with Ahmadinejad | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iraqi President Jalal Talabani arrived in Tehran on Monday to meet with his Iranian counterpart amid increasing calls for Washington to enlist Iran’s help in calming the escalating violence in neighboring Iraq.

“Talabani arrived in Tehran minutes ago as the head of a high-level delegation,” Iran’s state-run television reported.

Iran has been trying to organize a summit joining President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Talabani and Syrian President Bashar Assad in a bid to assert its role as the top regional powerbroker.

Talabani had planned to come to Tehran on Saturday but had to postpone his trip until Baghdad’s airport, which was closed in a security clampdown, reopened Monday.

Iranian officials have confirmed that an invitation was extended to Assad, but Syria has not responded.