The US-educated Iraqi lawyer organizing the trial of Saddam Hussein is expected to visit Tehran do hear charges that the Islamic government wants to bring against Iraq’s toppled president. July 11, 2004 - Salem Chalabi, head of the Baghdad tribunal charged with trying former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, will soon visit Tehran to hear Iran’s charges against Saddam, foreign ministry announced on Sunday. Iranian authorities have criticized the court for omitting Iraq’s 1980 invasion of Iran and the eight-year war from the list of crimes for which Saddam will be tried.
“Chalabi ... together with other judges of (Saddam's) case will come to Iran in future,” foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said. Adding that Iran has already had “constructive talks” with members of Chalabi’s court. He said the visit will take place within the next ten days.
Iraq’s prime minister Iyad Allawi was also expected in Tehran, Asefi said. Iran has called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces out of Iran, and has established good relations with Iraq’s US-installed interim government.
A source in Allawi's office said he intended to visit Iraq's Arab neighbors and possibly also Iran and Turkey, but no dates had been set, according to Reuters.
