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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Iraqi president seeks Iran's help | Iraqi president seeks Iran's help |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Visiting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has called on Iran to provide "comprehensive help" to improve his country's security situation. | Visiting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has called on Iran to provide "comprehensive help" to improve his country's security situation. |
| Mr Talabani arrived following a two-day delay, caused by a curfew that was imposed after bomb attacks in Baghdad killed more than 200 people. | Mr Talabani arrived following a two-day delay, caused by a curfew that was imposed after bomb attacks in Baghdad killed more than 200 people. |
| Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told him Iran would do what it could. | Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told him Iran would do what it could. |
| The trip is part of a renewed flurry of diplomacy that sees US President George W Bush visiting Jordan this week. | The trip is part of a renewed flurry of diplomacy that sees US President George W Bush visiting Jordan this week. |
| Separately, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Monday that Iraq was close to civil war. | Separately, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Monday that Iraq was close to civil war. |
| Iranian concern | Iranian concern |
| Mr Talabani was given a red-carpet welcome by Mr Ahmadinejad at Iran's presidential palace. | |
| The Iraqi president said: "We need Iran's comprehensive help to fight terrorism, restore security and stabilise." | The Iraqi president said: "We need Iran's comprehensive help to fight terrorism, restore security and stabilise." |
| The trip was delayed by the Sadr City bomb attacks on Thursday | The trip was delayed by the Sadr City bomb attacks on Thursday |
| Mr Ahmadinejad said: "Any help the government and nation of Iran can give to strengthen security in Iraq will be given. We have no limitation for co-operation in any field." | |
| The BBC's Frances Harrison in Tehran says some have suggested Iran wants to keep the US bogged down in Iraq to prevent it attacking Iran in the future over its nuclear programme. | The BBC's Frances Harrison in Tehran says some have suggested Iran wants to keep the US bogged down in Iraq to prevent it attacking Iran in the future over its nuclear programme. |
| But she says it seems Iran is increasingly concerned about the uncontrollable level of violence in Iraq. | But she says it seems Iran is increasingly concerned about the uncontrollable level of violence in Iraq. |
| Mr Ahmadinejad has previously said Iran is willing to help but only if the US changes its approach and abandons what it calls its "bullying" of Iran. | Mr Ahmadinejad has previously said Iran is willing to help but only if the US changes its approach and abandons what it calls its "bullying" of Iran. |
| Contacts | Contacts |
| Mr Talabani is also meeting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during his visit, which is being keenly watched in the West. | Mr Talabani is also meeting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during his visit, which is being keenly watched in the West. |
| Increased contact with Iran and Syria is one of the options being considered by the US Iraq Study Group, which is in its final stages of deliberation on recommending what new policies Washington could adopt on Iraq. | Increased contact with Iran and Syria is one of the options being considered by the US Iraq Study Group, which is in its final stages of deliberation on recommending what new policies Washington could adopt on Iraq. |
| There have been suggestions the US administration is looking for a new approach following heavy mid-term election losses. | There have been suggestions the US administration is looking for a new approach following heavy mid-term election losses. |
| Mr Bush is to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki in Jordan this week while Vice-President Dick Cheney has just been in Saudi Arabia. | Mr Bush is to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki in Jordan this week while Vice-President Dick Cheney has just been in Saudi Arabia. |
| Mr Annan, meanwhile, has said Iraq is close to civil war. | Mr Annan, meanwhile, has said Iraq is close to civil war. |
| "I think given the developments on the ground, unless something is done drastically and urgently to arrest the deteriorating situation, we could be there. In fact we are almost there," he said. | "I think given the developments on the ground, unless something is done drastically and urgently to arrest the deteriorating situation, we could be there. In fact we are almost there," he said. |