Iraq’s deputy foreign minister said on Tuesday in an interview with Radio Farda that Iraq needs the cooperation of its neighbors, including Iran, in the fight against terrorism. He said he was not aware of comments made earlier by the Iraqi defense minister who accused Iran of heavy interference in Iraq’s affairs; and by Iraq’s ambassador to Washington who denied Iran’s role in destabilizing Iraq. July 20, 2004 - “I don’t know where (Iraqi ambassador to Washington) Ms. Rend Rahim Francke has received her information, but we shall soon have negotiations with Iraq’s neighbors, including Iran, about protecting the borders and establishing security in Iraq,” Iraq’s deputy foreign minister Hamid al-Bayati tells Radio Farda’s broadcaster Farin Asemi.
In an interview with the Associated Press in Washington, Ms. Francke said Iran supports regional stability and does not support resistance forces in Iraq.
“Iraq has a long border with Iraq and preventing the passage of terrorists and criminals into Iraq is not an easy task,” he added.
“The Iranian infiltration is wide and unprecedented since the founding of the Iraqi state,” Iraqi defense minister Hazem Shaalan said on Tuesday in a interview published by the Saudi London-based daily al-Sharq al-Awsat.
“The Iranians infiltrated the various departments of the state in general and have set up intelligence and security centers in several Iraqi cities,” the defense minister told al-Sharq.
“You must ask Shaalan where he receive his information,” deputy foreign minister al-Bayati said to Radio Farda. “The position and opinion of the Iraqi foreign ministry, and my opinon as Iraq’s deputy foreign ministr is that terrorism is not limited to Iraq, and terrorists may have gone to Iran from Iraq.”
“We have a joint committee with the Iranian forein ministry, and we have to fight against terrorism with the help of our neighbors,” he added.
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