TEHRAN, March 17 (Xinhuanet) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki confirmed here on Friday that Iran would hold talks with the United States on the Iraqi situation, the official IRNA news agency reported.

    "Iran will hold talks with the United States on the crisis in Iraq in line with its assistance to the country and contribution to the government formation process there," Mottaki was quoted as saying.

    Mottaki also criticized the U.S. for failing to hold a clear attitude toward the proposed talks on Iraq, saying it was due to Washington's opportunist strategy.

    "In the process, opportunist strategies have been taken by some political circles and the U.S. spokespersons, whereas the Islamic Republic of Iran holds a very clear stance," Mottaki said.

    On Thursday, Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said that Iran was ready to hold talks with Washington to solve Iraq's problems as proposed by Iraqi Shi'ite leader Abdul Aziz al-Hakim.

    In response, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said that U.S. Ambassador to Baghdad Zalmay Khalilzad was authorized to hold talks with Iran, but stressed that it was a narrow mandate dealing specifically with issues relating to Iraq.

    Iran, which has been accused by Washington of allowing weapons and insurgents to cross into Iraq, had previously said that it was not interested in discussions before U.S. troops pulled out of Iraq.

    The two countries have cut off diplomatic relations since the outbreak of the Iranian Islamic Revolution in 1979. The U.S. also accuses Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons and sponsoring terrorists.

    In April 2004, Washington officially asked Tehran to helps tabilize the turbulent situation in Iraq, but failed to receive positive responses from Iran. Enditem