IRAQ WAR - LOOKING GLASS NEWS | |
FM Spokesman: US claim on Iran's meddling in Iraq mere hallucination |
|
from Payvand's Iran News
Entered into the database on Saturday, August 20th, 2005 @ 19:54:58 MST |
|
Tehran, Aug 20, IRNA-Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi here Saturday
said that the claims of US administrators on Iran's interference in Iraq are mere
hallucinations. Speaking to reporters, he said that Iran's contact with various Iraqi groups
has been in line with following its democratic policy. He added that the world has declared on various occasions the role played by
Iran in promoting tranquility in Iraq. "The US troops are impotent in controlling Iraq, while the explosions
and assassination of defenseless Iraqi people has a growing trend. "The current events in Iraq are quite shocking and mark the US wrong policy
in administration of affairs and promoting security in Iraq," he added.
He noted that the remarks of US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld against Iran
are meant to cover up their own impotence. "Iran does not benefit from
Iraq's instability and we believe that promoting security in Iraq will help
safeguard the regional security," he added. Concerning the claims of Turkish media against the proposed Foreign Minister
Manouchehr Mottaki, he said that fortunately, before hearing Iran's response,
Turkey's Foreign Ministry responded to such claims. He added that thus there is no need for Iranian officials to make any comments
to the effect. "Mottaki has been a former ambassador to Turkey and has done his best
to expand bilateral relations," he added. About the propaganda raised by the foreign media on introducing Iran's new
cabinet, Asefi said that such propaganda should not be taken seriously, given
that they will stop through time. "Such propaganda was also raised once Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office
as president, but they gradually stopped. The same is now true about the new
cabinet," he added. He pointed to Britain's role in the unrests in southern Iran and said that
sufficient evidence has been found to prove the interference of Britain and
that the issue will be followed up to prevent any further events in future.
Asefi noted that expulsion of the British ambassador to Tehran is not on the
agenda. In response to the news released about the measures of Kuwait's government
to prevent issuing visa for all members of an Iranian family intending to visit
Kuwait, he said that this has not been confirmed by Kuwait's embassy in Tehran.
The official said that once such a decision is taken by Kuwaiti government,
Iran would also take the necessary step. Referring to the letter written by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on release of Akbar Ganji, Asefi said that he was informed
on the issue through the media and that he does not know anything about it.
He pointed to the hostile remarks of US officials against Iran and underlined
that our options in connection with the US is more than theirs with respect
to us. "Unless the US administration changes its attitude towards Iran, any dialogue
will be out of question," he concluded. |