U.S. tells Iran to stop backing Iraq militias

By Ross Colvin

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United States urged Iran on Monday to stop supporting militias in Iraq in the most high-profile meeting between the two countries in almost 30 years that both sides later described as positive.

The rare talks in Baghdad were narrowly focused on Iraq's spiralling sectarian violence and did not touch on Iran's controversial nuclear programme, which has ratcheted up tensions between the two arch foes in recent months.

"Positive" was how both sides characterised the four-hour meeting that began with a handshake between U.S. ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Kazemi-Qomi at Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's office in Baghdad.

In new violence in Iraq, a truck bomb exploded near an important Sunni Muslim mosque in central Baghdad, killing 24 people and wounding 68 others shortly after the talks broke up.

The Iranians appeared keen for further talks, with Kazemi-Qomi calling the meeting "a first step in negotiations between these two sides" and saying Tehran would seriously consider an Iraqi invitation for further discussions.

For his part, Crocker said he had been less interested in arranging further meetings than laying out Washington's case that Shi'ite Iran is arming, funding and training Shi'ite militias in Iraq, a charge Iran denies.

He said he did not produce any evidence, although the U.S. military has previously displayed what it says are Iranian-made rockets, mortars and roadside bombs seized in Iraq. The military says the bombs have killed scores of American soldiers.

"The purpose of this effort was not to build a legal case. Presumably the Iranians know what they are doing. Our point was simply to say we know as well. We wanted to say it is dangerous for Iraq and dangerous for the region," Crocker said.