U.S. says Iran should only attend Syria talks if it backs transition

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Sunday a UN invitation to Iran to participate in Syrian peace talks on January 22 should be withdrawn unless Tehran publicly states its support for a 2012 agreement that establishes a transition government in Syria. "If Iran does not fully and publicly accept the Geneva communique, the invitation must be rescinded," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement. The United States has long said that Iran should not be allowed to attend the talks in Switzerland on January 22 until it states its support for a June 2012 agreement for a political transition in Syria. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is leading the U.S. delegation to the talks. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Eric Walsh)