BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The United States told Iran on Monday its support for militias fighting in Iraq needs to cease, said Ryan Crocker, U.S. ambassador to Iraq.
Crocker spoke at a news conference after a meeting with Iranian diplomats in Baghdad -- the first public and formal meeting between U.S. and Iranian representatives since the United States cut off diplomatic relations 27 years ago.
Crocker told reporters that in terms of policy for Iraq "there isn't much to argue about." But he said Iran needs to bring its actions in line with its "declaratory policy." (Watch what U.S., Iran had to say about each other )
"I laid out before the Iranians a number of our direct specific concerns about their behavior in Iraq," Crocker said. "Their support for militias that are fighting both the Iraqi security forces and coalition forces; the fact that a lot of the explosives and ammunition that are used by these groups are coming in from Iran; that such activities led by the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] Quds Force needed to cease and that we would be looking for results."
Iran has repeatedly denied U.S. accusations that it is fomenting violence in Iraq.
Crocker said the Iranians did not respond directly on Monday to the U.S. allegations.
"The Iranians did not go into any great detail," he said. "They made the assertion that the coalition presence was an occupation and that the effort to train and equip the Iraqi security forces had been inadequate to the challenges faced.
"We of course responded on both points, making clear that coalition forces are here at the Iraqi government's invitation and under [U.N.] Security Council authorities, and that we have put literally billions of dollars into training and equipping an increasingly capable set of Iraqi security forces." (Watch Crocker describe 'businesslike' talks )
Crocker said the Iranian delegation proposed a trilateral mechanism to coordinate on security matters in Iraq. He said officials in Washington would have to consider whether to pursue that idea.
The Iranian ambassador told The Associated Press after the session that another meeting of the three nations will be held in Iraq within a month.
Crocker did not confirm that there would be a second meeting.
"The Iraqi government said it would extend an invitation in the period ahead for another meeting," he said. "We'll obviously consider that invitation when we receive it."
Crocker characterized the talks as "businesslike."
"We both laid out our support for the government of [Iraqi] Prime Minister [Nuri al-] Maliki as he undertakes a number of very difficult challenges," he said.
Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Hassan Kazemi Qomi also told the AP that he said in the meeting that Tehran was prepared to train and equip the Iraqi army and police to create "a new military and security structure."
Iran has offered before to train Iraqi forces and provide them with equipment.
Crocker said the Iraqi representatives "led the discussions" and that overall, "the talks proceeded positively."
No topics outside of Iraq were discussed, he said.
No talk of detainees, Iran's nuclear ambitions
Among the contentious issues not discussed were Iranian-Americans being held by Tehran, and Iranians detained by the U.S. in Iraq.
Tehran recently charged Haleh Esfandiari, one of four Iranian-Americans detained in Tehran, with conducting activities against the Iranian government, a charge dismissed by Washington. (Watch Esfandiari's representative describe Iranian jail cell )
The State Department repeatedly has called for Esfandiari's release as well as for more information about three other Iranian-Americans who have been detained, imprisoned or had their passports revoked.
In addition, Robert Levinson, an American and retired FBI agent, has been missing since March 8, when he was last seen on Iran's Kish Island.
The U.S. military is holding seven "Iranian intelligence service personnel" in Iraq, spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell told CNN in an interview taped Friday.
Tehran has referred to five of the Iranians who were arrested in January as "diplomats" and is seeking their release.
Also left unmentioned at Monday's meeting was the international showdown between Iran and much of the West, led by the United States, over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
A report issued Wednesday by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog -- the International Atomic Energy Agency -- said Iran has not only ignored the call to halt its nuclear work but has also increased its activities.
That prompted U.S. and British diplomats at the United Nations to announce they would press ahead for new sanctions against Iran. The U.N. Security Council has so far imposed two rounds of limited sanctions on Iran.
Talks mark rare meeting
The Iraq Study Group late last year called on the Bush administration to initiate talks with Iran and Syria.
The United States broke off diplomatic ties with Iran in April 1980 in the midst of the seizure of the U.S. Embassy. Iranian students occupied the embassy from November 1979 until January 1981, when they released the remaining 52 hostages.
While Monday marks the first time U.S. and Iranian diplomats have met bilaterally, they have taken part in informal meetings with Iraq's neighbors in recent months.
Copyright 2007 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
Crocker spoke at a news conference after a meeting with Iranian diplomats in Baghdad -- the first public and formal meeting between U.S. and Iranian representatives since the United States cut off diplomatic relations 27 years ago.
Crocker told reporters that in terms of policy for Iraq "there isn't much to argue about." But he said Iran needs to bring its actions in line with its "declaratory policy." (Watch what U.S., Iran had to say about each other )
"I laid out before the Iranians a number of our direct specific concerns about their behavior in Iraq," Crocker said. "Their support for militias that are fighting both the Iraqi security forces and coalition forces; the fact that a lot of the explosives and ammunition that are used by these groups are coming in from Iran; that such activities led by the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] Quds Force needed to cease and that we would be looking for results."
Iran has repeatedly denied U.S. accusations that it is fomenting violence in Iraq.
Crocker said the Iranians did not respond directly on Monday to the U.S. allegations.
"The Iranians did not go into any great detail," he said. "They made the assertion that the coalition presence was an occupation and that the effort to train and equip the Iraqi security forces had been inadequate to the challenges faced.
"We of course responded on both points, making clear that coalition forces are here at the Iraqi government's invitation and under [U.N.] Security Council authorities, and that we have put literally billions of dollars into training and equipping an increasingly capable set of Iraqi security forces." (Watch Crocker describe 'businesslike' talks )
Crocker said the Iranian delegation proposed a trilateral mechanism to coordinate on security matters in Iraq. He said officials in Washington would have to consider whether to pursue that idea.
The Iranian ambassador told The Associated Press after the session that another meeting of the three nations will be held in Iraq within a month.
Crocker did not confirm that there would be a second meeting.
"The Iraqi government said it would extend an invitation in the period ahead for another meeting," he said. "We'll obviously consider that invitation when we receive it."
Crocker characterized the talks as "businesslike."
"We both laid out our support for the government of [Iraqi] Prime Minister [Nuri al-] Maliki as he undertakes a number of very difficult challenges," he said.
Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Hassan Kazemi Qomi also told the AP that he said in the meeting that Tehran was prepared to train and equip the Iraqi army and police to create "a new military and security structure."
Iran has offered before to train Iraqi forces and provide them with equipment.
Crocker said the Iraqi representatives "led the discussions" and that overall, "the talks proceeded positively."
No topics outside of Iraq were discussed, he said.
No talk of detainees, Iran's nuclear ambitions
Among the contentious issues not discussed were Iranian-Americans being held by Tehran, and Iranians detained by the U.S. in Iraq.
Tehran recently charged Haleh Esfandiari, one of four Iranian-Americans detained in Tehran, with conducting activities against the Iranian government, a charge dismissed by Washington. (Watch Esfandiari's representative describe Iranian jail cell )
The State Department repeatedly has called for Esfandiari's release as well as for more information about three other Iranian-Americans who have been detained, imprisoned or had their passports revoked.
In addition, Robert Levinson, an American and retired FBI agent, has been missing since March 8, when he was last seen on Iran's Kish Island.
The U.S. military is holding seven "Iranian intelligence service personnel" in Iraq, spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell told CNN in an interview taped Friday.
Tehran has referred to five of the Iranians who were arrested in January as "diplomats" and is seeking their release.
Also left unmentioned at Monday's meeting was the international showdown between Iran and much of the West, led by the United States, over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
A report issued Wednesday by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog -- the International Atomic Energy Agency -- said Iran has not only ignored the call to halt its nuclear work but has also increased its activities.
That prompted U.S. and British diplomats at the United Nations to announce they would press ahead for new sanctions against Iran. The U.N. Security Council has so far imposed two rounds of limited sanctions on Iran.
Talks mark rare meeting
The Iraq Study Group late last year called on the Bush administration to initiate talks with Iran and Syria.
The United States broke off diplomatic ties with Iran in April 1980 in the midst of the seizure of the U.S. Embassy. Iranian students occupied the embassy from November 1979 until January 1981, when they released the remaining 52 hostages.
While Monday marks the first time U.S. and Iranian diplomats have met bilaterally, they have taken part in informal meetings with Iraq's neighbors in recent months.
Copyright 2007 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
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