WASHINGTON, July 25 (Reuters) - The United States said on Wednesday it has no plans to open higher-level talks with Iran, despite agreeing this week to form a joint panel with Tehran to improve security in Iraq. "I don't see that happening at this point in time," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters when asked about a report that Iran is open to higher-level talks. "We have an established channel with (U.S. ambassador to Iraq) Ryan Crocker." Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted as saying on Wednesday that Tehran was open to higher-level talks if it received a formal request from Washington. An agreement to set up the security committee appeared to be the only positive outcome from talks between Crocker and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Kazemi-Qomi in Baghdad on Tuesday. The panel will investigate issues such as support for Shi'ite militias and al Qaeda in Iraq. Washington accuses Shi'ite Muslim Iran of fomenting violence in Iraq. Iran denies the charge and blames the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 for the bloodshed between Iraq's majority Shi'ite and minority Sunni Arabs.
