Iran denies fuelling Iraq insurgency
Iranian foreign minister Kamal Kharrazi today rejected claims that his country is undermining security in Iraq.
Earlier this month, Iraqi defence minister Hazem al-Shaalan said Iran was Iraq’s “first enemy” because it was playing a role in the insurgency. Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi later distanced his government from the remark.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Kharrazi rejected Mr al-Shaalan’s charge, saying “from the outset Iran has tried to help Iraq overcome its problems”.
He added: “Iran wants to have good neighbourly relations with Iraq.”
Mr Kharrazi implied that his government did not take the Iraqi defence minister seriously. “We pay attention to remarks by senior officials of Iraq,” he said.
Iraqi human rights minister Bakhtiyar Amin said on July 12 that his government had 99 foreign fighters in detention, including 26 Syrians, 14 Saudis, 14 Iranians, 12 Egyptians, nine Sudanese, five Palestinians, five Yemenis, five Jordanians, five Tunisians, one Lebanese, one Moroccan, one Turk and one Afghan.
Iran, a Shiite Muslim country with close ties to Iraq’s majority Shiite population, is suspected of using money to influence the political field in Iraq.
The Iranian government has denied interfering in Iraq, including allowing money transfers. It says it does not allow fighters to cross into Iraq, but it does not rule out that such people might cross the long border illegally.
