WASHINGTON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The United States is prepared to have new direct talks with Iran on Iraq's security and violence, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday.

"We think that given the situation in Iraq and given Iran's continued behavior that is leading to further instability in Iraq, that it would be appropriate to have another face-to-face meeting to directly convey to the Iranian authorities that if they wish to see a more stable, secure, peaceful Iraq, which is what they have said they would like to see, that they need to change their behavior," McCormack said.

"They (Iranians) need to stop supporting sectarian militias that are exacerbating sectarian tensions, they need to stop supporting EFP networks that pose a threat to our troops," he added.

EFP refers to Explosively Formed Penetrators, devices crafted to penetrate armored vehicles.

The proposed U.S.-Iran talks will be held, but the date for the meeting has not been fixed yet, the spokesman said.

On May 28, U.S. and Iranian diplomats met for four hours in Baghdad to discuss security in Iraq.