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| Ahmadinejad plans visit to Iraq | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is due in Baghdad next month for the first visit by an Iranian president to Iraq, government officials in Iraq have said. | Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is due in Baghdad next month for the first visit by an Iranian president to Iraq, government officials in Iraq have said. |
| Mr Ahmadinejad is expected to meet Iraq's President Jalal Talabani and PM Nouri Maliki during his two-day visit, which is scheduled to begin on 2 March. | |
| Iran and Iraq fought a devastating war between 1980 and 1988 in which about one million people died. | |
| Meanwhile, Iran has postponed talks with the US on Iraqi security. | Meanwhile, Iran has postponed talks with the US on Iraqi security. |
| No reason was given for calling off the talks, which were meant to have been held on Friday. | No reason was given for calling off the talks, which were meant to have been held on Friday. |
| US and Iranian officials met three times last year to discuss how best to stabilise Iraq. | US and Iranian officials met three times last year to discuss how best to stabilise Iraq. |
| It is one of the few forums in which the two countries, which cut diplomatic ties in 1979, have direct contact. | It is one of the few forums in which the two countries, which cut diplomatic ties in 1979, have direct contact. |
| "We are happy to sit down for the talks but it's increasingly clear Iran is not," US embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo said. | "We are happy to sit down for the talks but it's increasingly clear Iran is not," US embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo said. |
| 'Good relations' | 'Good relations' |
| Iraq and Iran were arch-enemies during the rule of Saddam Hussein, but ties have improved since he was overthrown and a Shia-led government came to power. | Iraq and Iran were arch-enemies during the rule of Saddam Hussein, but ties have improved since he was overthrown and a Shia-led government came to power. |
| President Talabani and Prime Minister Maliki both visited Tehran last year. | President Talabani and Prime Minister Maliki both visited Tehran last year. |
| The BBC's John Leyne in Tehran says Mr Ahmadinejad's visit, if it goes ahead, will set the seal on reconciliation between Iran the two countries. | The BBC's John Leyne in Tehran says Mr Ahmadinejad's visit, if it goes ahead, will set the seal on reconciliation between Iran the two countries. |
| An Iraqi government spokesman said the leaders would discuss bilateral relations and joint projects. | An Iraqi government spokesman said the leaders would discuss bilateral relations and joint projects. |
| "It's significant in the sense that Iraq wants to have good relations with Iran," he said. | "It's significant in the sense that Iraq wants to have good relations with Iran," he said. |
| But he added that Iran should not interfere in Iraq's internal affairs, and should respect Iraq's right to have relations with any country it might choose. | But he added that Iran should not interfere in Iraq's internal affairs, and should respect Iraq's right to have relations with any country it might choose. |
| Iran has been accused by the United States of helping insurgents in Iraq, but the Iranian government insists it is actually playing a positive role there. | Iran has been accused by the United States of helping insurgents in Iraq, but the Iranian government insists it is actually playing a positive role there. |
| The US will have to give its tacit approval for Mr Ahmadinejad's visit to go ahead, our correspondent says. | The US will have to give its tacit approval for Mr Ahmadinejad's visit to go ahead, our correspondent says. |