THAWING

U.S. to Iran: Intervene in Iraq

"In a non-sectarian way."

Could Iraq bring two longtime foes together? On Monday, the United States urged Iran to address the crisis in Iraq "in a non-sectarian way," and said the two traditional foes could hold bilateral talks about the security situation in Vienna. Earlier on Monday, Secretary of State John Kerry made it clear that the U.S. is open to working with Iran to help stop rapid insurgent gains in Iraq. "I wouldn’t rule out anything that would be constructive to providing real stability," Kerry told Katie Couric. When Couric asked whether the U.S. would consider working militarily with Iran, Kerry was a little more reserved, saying "Let’s see what Iran might or might not be willing to do before we start making any pronouncements." Still, his comments reflected a flexibility towards Iran that marked a major departure from previous attempts at diplomacy. John McCain issued a statement, slamming Kerry's openness to Iran. "U.S. and Iranian interests and goals do not align in Iraq, and greater Iranian intervention would only make the situation dramatically worse," he said.