BAGHDAD, March 12: The US ambassador in Baghdad denied on Sunday seeking Iran’s help to calm violence in Iraq and said there were still concerns about Tehran’s links with militias in Iraq.

Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper said journalists in Tehran had been shown a letter by a senior Iranian intelligence agent that was purportedly from US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, and which invited Iran to send representatives to talks in Iraq.

The newspaper said the letter was written in Farsi, which the Afghan-born ambassador speaks.

Mr Khalilzad told CNN there had been no meetings between Iranian and US officials.

“We have concerns about their relations with militias and extremists,” said Mr Khalilzad.

Earlier, the US embassy denied such a letter existed.

“Ambassador Khalilzad has the authority to meet with Iranian officials to discuss issues of mutual concern,” the embassy said in a statement. “But he has not sent a letter in any language to the Iranians.”

The Sunday Times said Tehran was open to a meeting, citing a source close to the Iranian government, but it would have to be in a neutral country. The paper said Iran hoped this might eventually enable a dialogue about its nuclear programme.

A senior Iranian official denied Tehran was interested in talks before US troops pulled out of Iraq.—Reuters