Rice Says U.S. to Talk with Iran on Iraq "at Appropriate Time"

Xinhua News Agency:

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday she is "certain" that the United States will hold direct talks with Iran on Iraq "at an appropriate time." READ MORE

"Those meetings will take place, I am certain, at an appropriate time," Rice told reporters.

U.S. ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad has been authorized to hold direct talks with Iran on Iraq.

"It is an authority that has been there for a while. And the issues are not going to go away. I am quite certain that at some point they will meet," Rice said, adding that it is important that"we have a chance to talk about our concerns."

The United States has accused Iran of providing support to the insurgents fighting with the U.S.-led coalition troops in Iraq. Iran has denied the charges.

The United States has also said the proposed talks with Iran onIraq will have nothing to do with Iran's nuclear issue.