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Cameron to meet Iran's Rouhani for Islamic State talks | Cameron to meet Iran's Rouhani for Islamic State talks |
(about 4 hours later) | |
David Cameron is to meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in an attempt to persuade his country to join action against Islamic State (IS) militants. | |
The New York meeting comes after the US and its allies began air strikes against IS in Syria, but the proposed nature of Iranian action is unclear. | The New York meeting comes after the US and its allies began air strikes against IS in Syria, but the proposed nature of Iranian action is unclear. |
It will be the first time a UK prime minister has met an Iranian president since the Iran's revolution in 1979. | It will be the first time a UK prime minister has met an Iranian president since the Iran's revolution in 1979. |
Meanwhile, the UK government said it had not joined Syria strikes "yet". | Meanwhile, the UK government said it had not joined Syria strikes "yet". |
BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith said there was a "very strong likelihood" that Parliament would be recalled from recess "within the next few days, maybe before the end of the week" to sanction any British military action. | |
Mr Cameron and Mr Rouhani spoke by phone in November, but the talks later will be their first face-to-face meeting. | Mr Cameron and Mr Rouhani spoke by phone in November, but the talks later will be their first face-to-face meeting. |
The PM was likely to set out "direction and options" during his speech at the United Nations' headquarters in New York, a government source told BBC News. | |
Nuclear 'trade-off' | Nuclear 'trade-off' |
BBC correspondent Nick Bryant said relations between the UK and Iran had "thawed considerably" in recent months. | |
"Coming at a time when the Obama administration has said Iran has a role to play in combating IS, Mr Cameron is expected to gauge what form that might take," he said. | "Coming at a time when the Obama administration has said Iran has a role to play in combating IS, Mr Cameron is expected to gauge what form that might take," he said. |
Mr Cameron is also likely to press Mr Rouhani to withdraw support for the Assad regime in Syria - a "hard sell", our correspondent added. | Mr Cameron is also likely to press Mr Rouhani to withdraw support for the Assad regime in Syria - a "hard sell", our correspondent added. |
He said Iranian officials in the US had raised the possibility of a "trade-off" under which Iran could get concessions on advancing its nuclear programme in exchange for "further action" against IS - though the US has said the two issues are entirely separate. | He said Iranian officials in the US had raised the possibility of a "trade-off" under which Iran could get concessions on advancing its nuclear programme in exchange for "further action" against IS - though the US has said the two issues are entirely separate. |
'Not ruled out' | 'Not ruled out' |
The US has been carrying out air strikes against IS militants in Iraq since August, and the Pentagon has now announced similar action in Syria. | The US has been carrying out air strikes against IS militants in Iraq since August, and the Pentagon has now announced similar action in Syria. |
Rear Adm John Kirby said: "I can confirm that US military and partner nation forces are undertaking military action against Isil terrorists in Syria using a mix of fighter, bomber and Tomahawk land attack missiles." | Rear Adm John Kirby said: "I can confirm that US military and partner nation forces are undertaking military action against Isil terrorists in Syria using a mix of fighter, bomber and Tomahawk land attack missiles." |
Asked if the UK was one of those "partner" nations, a Ministry of Defence spokeswoman told the BBC: "The UK has not committed anything yet. Conversations are ongoing. | Asked if the UK was one of those "partner" nations, a Ministry of Defence spokeswoman told the BBC: "The UK has not committed anything yet. Conversations are ongoing. |
"There might potentially be an update in the coming days. We have not ruled ourselves out." | "There might potentially be an update in the coming days. We have not ruled ourselves out." |
Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman said it was "very encouraging that other Arab states are joining in... because they are the most immediately affected". | |
She told BBC News: "Islamic State needs to be contained, The awful beheadings that everybody sees, they are just the tip of the iceberg, in a way, to what they're doing. They can't be allowed to just grow and grow and grow and expand their territory." | |
Jihadist group IS, also referred to as Isil and Isis, has taken control of large areas of Iraq and Syria in recent months. | Jihadist group IS, also referred to as Isil and Isis, has taken control of large areas of Iraq and Syria in recent months. |