reach a bilateral agreement on how long the U.S. military will remain in Iraq and what role it will play in Iraq 's security . But al-Maliki media adviser Ali Hadi said negotiations between Iraq and the United States are in their `` very early stages '' and were not part of Sunday 's talks . Watch Ahmadinejad and al-Maliki sit down for talks '' `` The treaty is purely an Iraqi-American treaty . The Iranians have nothing to do with it , '' Hadi said . `` We will not discuss the progress or the key elements of agreements or disagreements with them because this is an Iraqi issue . '' The proposed U.S.-Iraqi pact has triggered street protests in Iraq , where many suspect the deal could lead to the establishment of permanent American bases , a long-term presence of U.S. troops and a weakening of Iraqi government control over those troops . Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr , whose militia was the target of a U.S.-backed Iraqi clampdown in Basra and Baghdad recently , has called for weekly protests against the agreement . Al-Maliki and Ahmadinejad met Sunday afternoon , with Ahmadinejad calling on Iraq 's neighbors and
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iraq 's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Sunday tried to allay Iranian fears over a planned U.S.-Iraq security pact , saying his government would not allow Iraq to become a launching pad for an attack on its neighbor . Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , left , greets Iraq 's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Sunday . `` Iraq today does n't present any threat as it used to be in the times of the former regime , '' al-Maliki told Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during a Sunday meeting between two leaders , according to a statement from the prime minister 's office . `` Today 's Iraq is a constitutional state based on the rule of law , and it seeks to develop its relations with the regional countries based on cooperation and mutual respect , '' al-Maliki said . Earlier , Iran 's state-run news agency IRNA quoted the Iraqi leader as saying that `` Baghdad would not allow its soil to be used as a base to damage the security of the neighboring countries , including Iran . '' His remarks come as the United States and Iraq are trying to