By Xinhua
Washington : The US has rejected Iran's proposal for talks at ministerial level between the two countries over the Iraqi security situation.
"I don't see that happening at this point of time," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters here Wednesday.
Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki had said that Tehran was prepared to consider higher-level talks with the US over Iraq. "The talks between Iran and the US over Iraq at the level of deputy foreign minister can be studied," he had said.
"We have an established channel with (US Ambassador to Iraq) Ryan Crocker and we are taking a look at the suggestion to establish a subcommittee of that group which would actually be lower level, technically oriented officials."
McCormack made the remarks a day after Iranian and US ambassadors in Baghdad held a landmark second meeting on Iraqi security.
Crocker and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Kazemi Qomi Tuesday held talks on Iraq's security in Baghdad, with the participation of Iraq's delegation headed by Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.
This was the second US-Iran meeting after the May 28 conclave that marked the first direct talks by the US and Iran in 27 years.
Crocker described the latest talks as "difficult discussions". He said there were "heated exchanges" when he accused Iran of providing direct support to extremist militias – both training and actual weapons – and that Washington had "the proof".
Washington has no diplomatic relations with Tehran since April 1980, after Iranian students occupied the American embassy. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days.