TEHRAN –- Negotiations between Iran and the U.S. at the foreign ministerial level require a will and a definite agenda, Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki observed on IRIB TV’S Special Dialogue program here on Thursday.

Rice and Mottaki met at a lunch at the Sharm el-Sheikh conference on May 3 but only exchanged pleasantries. However, Iranian deputy foreign minister Abbas Araqchi and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq met for 30 minutes on the sidelines of the conference to stabilize Iraq. It was the second such encounter since March 10.

Mottaki said U.S. officials requested negotiations with Iran through middlemen, but the issues between Iran and the U.S. are very complicated and major issues should be raised during any dialogue.

If the U.S. wanted to enter into dialogue with Iran, serious arrangements should have been made “while there was no discussion on bilateral relations on our agenda,” Iran’s top diplomat said.

However, several accidental and short meetings were held between the two countries' representatives on the sideline of the confab which focused on Iraq, Mottaki added.

If we witness constructive determination, if requests are made through official channels, and if the U.S. requests seem sincere, Tehran will be prepared to hold discussions with Washington on Iraq, the Iranian foreign minister stated.

On the issue of the Iranian diplomats detained in Iraq, he said that it would be better for the Americans to try to rescue themselves from the consequences of such illegal and incorrect moves as soon as possible.

He also quoted Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari as saying that the problem would be resolved soon.