France wants Iran at Monday meeting on crushing Iraq radicals; US nixes working with Tehran

Published December 12, 2015

French President Francois Hollande is seen after his arrival at Baghdad Airport in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, Sept. 12, 2014. Hollande expressed his solidarity with Iraq on a visit to Baghdad on Friday, as his country prepares for possible airstrikes with a U.S.-led coalition against extremists who have seized territory around the region. (AP Photo/Thaier Al-Sudani, Pool) (The Associated Press)

France is prepared to invite Iran to an international conference Monday aimed at coordinating actions to knock out the Islamic State extremists in Iraq — even though that runs counter to the U.S. refusal to deal with Tehran.

The position marks a shift in France's policy toward Iran, a Shiite Muslim nation and neighbor of Iraq that joins regional states and the West in adamantly opposing the advance of the radicals. Tehran's long-time influence in Sunni Iraq, including at times a military presence, makes it a logical partner in France's eyes.

A French official helping plan the conference says the only hitch is agreeing with partners but added "we are not far from a consensus." The official, who was not authorized to be publicly named, didn't elaborate.

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https://www.foxnews.com/world/france-wants-iran-at-monday-meeting-on-crushing-iraq-radicals-us-nixes-working-with-tehran