JOHN KERRY: The US Is Open To Talks With Iran Over Iraq - And Possible Military Cooperation
Jun 16, 2014, 18:34 IST
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Kerry said in an interview with Yahoo's Katie Couric that the U.S. would undertake "a very thorough vetting of every option that is available," including talks with Iran and drone strikes, which he said "may well be" an option.
Sunni insurgents of the ISIS - Islamic State of Iraq and Syria - have taken over several cities in the country over the past week. Kerry said he doesn't think the insurgents will be able to take control of Baghdad, despite pronouncements from their leader that they would march on the city. "When you have people murdering, assassinating in these mass massacres, you have to stop that - from the air or otherwise," Kerry said. U.S. President Barack Obama is considering military options for intervening in Iraq, but he stressed Friday that U.S. troops would not be sent back into the country. Early Monday morning, a senior Obama administration official said it's possible senior U.S. and Iranian diplomats could discuss the Iraq crisis during nuclear talks in Vienna.