Iran rejects US charges of interference in Iraq
Published: Sunday, November 16, 2008
16:30GMT—11:30AM/EST
IRAQ – KHAZAEE – KHALILZAD – SECURITY
Washington, 16 November (IranVNC)—Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations on Friday protested against allegations made by the United States that the Islamic Republic was supporting al-Qaeda fighters and other militants in Iraq, the state-run Press TV news website reported yesterday.
"It is not surprising that the U.S. makes baseless allegations against countries with the aim of diverting the attention of the international community away from Washington's failing policies in Iraq,” Mohammad Khazaee said in a letter to the UN Security Council, according to Press TV.
Khazaee added: “Tehran has constantly condemned violence and terrorism in Iraq and supported the Iraqi government's efforts aimed at establishing stability and constructing the war-torn country.”
The US Ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad, told the Security Council on Friday that violence in Iraq had decreased sharply. But he warned: “Al Qaeda in Iraq remains a significant threat, as do Iranian surrogate militants, and JAM [Mahdi Army],” Reuters reports.
“All retain the intent and capability of carrying out lethal attacks against the Iraqi people,” Khalilzad added.
The US military has repeatedly warned of the threat Iran poses to the security in neighboring Iraq. In its latest report on the security in Iraq, the Pentagon on 30 September pointed to “malign Iranian interference” as the most significant threat to Iraq’s long-term stability.
Iran is accused of fueling violence in Iraq by providing arms, funding and training to Shiite militants in that country.
Tehran has dismissed the charges, blaming the presence of US forces for instability in the region.
Khazaee asserted that Washington has failed to provide the international community with any documents to prove its allegations, Press TV reports.
However, the US military has in the past said that they had provided evidence of Iran’s interference in Iraq to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
Iraq’s cabinet today approved a security pact with Washington which calls on US forces to withdraw from that country by the end of 2011. That agreement now awaits approval by Iraq’s parliament.
Sources: Press TV, Reuters
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