Iran seeking to hold nuclear talks with West in Iraq

GlobalPost

Iran has reportedly proposed holding the next round of talks with Western powers on its Tehran's disputed nuclear program in Iraq instead of Turkey, Iraq's Foreign Ministry said.

Meanwhile, the Tehran Times cited the Persian service of the Young Journalists Club’s website as reporting Tuesday that Baghdad had agreed to host the talks between Iran and the 5+1 group (the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany) scheduled for Apr. 13-14.

More from GlobalPost: World powers to hold fresh talks with Iran over nuclear program

According to Reuters, Iraq said an Iranian delegation visited Baghdad on April 3 to discuss the request.

However, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had said the talks — the first since the two sides attempted talks in January 2011 but failed to agree even on an agenda — would be held in Istanbul.

Meanwhile, Clinton — who traveled over the weekend to Turkey and Saudi Arabia — has warned that a nuclear-armed Iran or conflict over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program would destabilize the region, possibly sparking an arms race.

"There is no clear path. We know that a nuclear-armed Iran would be incredibly destabilizing to the region and beyond. A conflict arising out of their program would also be very destabilizing," Agence France-Presse quoted her as telling a dinner in Norfolk, Virginia, where she was on a day trip to visit the only NATO command in the United States.

More from GlobalPost: To bomb or not to bomb Iran

"We're going to be looking for a way to try to convey the legitimate fears that people in the region have about what comes next," she said, seeking to put pressure on Tehran ahead of the talks.

"Because if Iran were ever to get a nuclear weapon, the countries in the region are going to buy their way to one as well."

More from GlobalPost: How Israel dodged the economic crisis

Will you support The World? 

The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?