That must have been awkward

Pool/Getty Images News Yesterday’s talks between U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and his Iranian counterpart, Kazemi Qomi, were certainly a step forward. But it was a baby step: In a feature of the talks that made them more awkward, Crocker and a half dozen aides, including deputy chief of mission Daniel Speckhard, addressed the ...

By , a former managing editor of Foreign Policy.
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Pool/Getty Images News

Pool/Getty Images News

Yesterday’s talks between U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and his Iranian counterpart, Kazemi Qomi, were certainly a step forward. But it was a baby step:

In a feature of the talks that made them more awkward, Crocker and a half dozen aides, including deputy chief of mission Daniel Speckhard, addressed the Iranian ambassador directly. Kazemi Qomi and his aides, on the other hand, generally addressed the Iraqi moderator and staff, according to an Iraqi official with knowledge of the talks.

Blake Hounshell is a former managing editor of Foreign Policy.

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