WASHINGTON: House Speaker John Boehner says the United States should not be talking to Iran about a joint effort to help the Iraqi government battle insurgents who have been overrunning large swaths of that country.

The Ohio Republican told reporters Wednesday that reaching out to Iran would be the wrong message to send US allies in the Middle East, even as Iran is alleged to have sponsored terrorism in that region.

Boehner and other congressional leaders are meeting at the White House on Wednesday afternoon with President Barack Obama to get a briefing from him on the situation in Iraq.

Boehner said he wants Obama to describe his strategy for helping the Iraqi government.