TEHRAN - Iran said on Monday that it will not hold a fourth round of talks with the United States on security in Iraq as long as US forces continue attacking Shiite militias in Baghdad.
"The focus of discussions with the United States is Iraq's security and stability. We are witnessing open bombings by the US occupying forces in Iraq," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told reporters.
"Given the existing circumstances, such talks would have no result and make no difference."
Iran and the United States held three rounds of talks on Iraq last year despite mounting tensions over the Iranian nuclear programme. The talks have been stalled amid controversy over Iran's role in its conflict-torn neighbour.
Tehran, which strongly opposes the US military presence in Iraq, has been repeatedly accused by Washington of arming and training Shiite militia groups in Iraq.
Iran, whose ties with Washington have been severed since 1980, strongly denies the allegations.
The United States has in recent days carried out deadly rocket and air strikes against Shiite militants loyal to Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr in their stronghold of Sadr city in Baghdad.
Washington's ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Kazemi Qomi held face-to-face talks in May and July 2007, in the highest level public contact between the two sides for 27 years.
Officials from the two countries also met at experts' level last August, but there has been no meeting since.
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