Khamenei backs Iraq talks

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave his backing to proposed talks between US and Iranian officials on Iraq, but warned that the US must not try to “bully” Iran.

It was the first confirmation that Khamenei, who holds final say on all state matters in Iran, was in favour of talks.

His comments came as US president George Bush said he favoured the talks, in which he said American officials would show Iran “what’s right or wrong in their activities inside of Iraq”.

Khamenei said yesterday that “if the Iranian officials can make the US understand some issues about Iraq, there is no problem with the negotiations”.

“But if the talks mean opening a venue for bullying and impoition by the deceitful party (the Americans), then it will be forbidden,” he said in a speech in the north-eastern city of Mashhad, aired on state television.