The U.S. ambassador to Iraq says he and his Iranian counterpart agreed on some common policies toward Iraq during the highest level talks between the two countries in almost 30 years.
U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said both the U.S. and Iran want to see a secure, stable, democratic Iraq that is at peace with its neighbors.
Crocker said he also made it clear to Iran's Ambassador Hassan Kazemi that Iran must stop supporting militias in Iraq. The two men met for four hours on Monday in Baghdad.
Iranian authorities deny they are responsible for attacks by insurgents in Iraq.
Kazemi said he told Crocker Iran is ready to help train and equip the Iraqi military.
Meanwhile, Iraqi police say a car bomb in central Baghdad killed at least 21 people and wounded 66 others. The blast damaged the Abdel Qadir Gilani Mosque, one of Baghdad's most revered Sunni shrines.
Another car bomb killed at least two people in another part of Baghdad.
Ambassador Crocker described the talks with his Iranian counterpart as "businesslike" and said they focused exclusively on the security situation in Iraq.
The White House said earlier that the talks would not touch on Iran's nuclear program or Iran's recent detention of several U.S. citizens of Iranian origin.
The United States and Iran have had little official contact for 27 years.
The United States broke diplomatic relations in April, 1980 after Iranian activists seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took its staff hostage the previous November.
U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said both the U.S. and Iran want to see a secure, stable, democratic Iraq that is at peace with its neighbors.
Crocker said he also made it clear to Iran's Ambassador Hassan Kazemi that Iran must stop supporting militias in Iraq. The two men met for four hours on Monday in Baghdad.
Iranian authorities deny they are responsible for attacks by insurgents in Iraq.
Kazemi said he told Crocker Iran is ready to help train and equip the Iraqi military.
Meanwhile, Iraqi police say a car bomb in central Baghdad killed at least 21 people and wounded 66 others. The blast damaged the Abdel Qadir Gilani Mosque, one of Baghdad's most revered Sunni shrines.
Another car bomb killed at least two people in another part of Baghdad.
Ambassador Crocker described the talks with his Iranian counterpart as "businesslike" and said they focused exclusively on the security situation in Iraq.
The White House said earlier that the talks would not touch on Iran's nuclear program or Iran's recent detention of several U.S. citizens of Iranian origin.
The United States and Iran have had little official contact for 27 years.
The United States broke diplomatic relations in April, 1980 after Iranian activists seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took its staff hostage the previous November.