Iran has still not received a reply to a request to visit five Iranians held by U.S. forces in Iraq, an Iranian official in Baghdad was quoted on Saturday as saying by Iran's ISNA news agency.
He also said Iran had yet to announce if Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki would hold direct talks on Iraq with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who U.S. officials say is open to such a meeting at multilateral talks due in May.
Washington accuses Iran of stoking violence in Iraq and in January detained five men it says were linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards and backing militants. Iran insists they are diplomats, wants them freed and has requested access. More at Reuters
Iran's ambassador to London has said Britain should respond "in a positive way" to the release of the 15 Royal Navy personnel held for 13 days.
Rasoul Movahedian said that Iran wanted help to release five Iranians held by the US in Iraq, and to ease fears over its nuclear programme. More at BBC