Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Al-Maliki tells Iran to stop interfering
Regional politics
COMMENT: It is a message that may please Maliki's sponsors in the United States, who accuse Iran of funding and training militants fighting U.S. forces in Iraq, possibly in response to mounting U.S. pressure on Tehran to halt its nuclear program. COMMENT ENDS.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki travelled to Iran on Tuesday to deliver a blunt message to fellow Shia Islamists in Tehran that they should not interfere in Iraq's affairs. Maliki's spokesman told Reuters Iraqis no longer wanted to suffer for "messages between the United States and Iran."
Maliki would meet both President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on his first official visit, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Monday Baghdad saw Khamenei playing a key role in relations with Iraq and stressed security would top the agenda.
While officially encouraging Iraq's new, warm ties to Washington's adversary, there is unease in the United States at Iranian influence over the Shia leaders brought to power in elections that followed the U.S. overthrow of Saddam Hussein.
Since forming a national unity government four months ago, Maliki has vowed to curb militant Shia factions, some of whom also have links with movements in Iran, as part of efforts to avert civil war with Saddam's once-dominant Sunni minority. U.S. and British officials say high-powered explosives used against their troops in the past year have been supplied through Iran, though not necessarily with government approval.
Since forming a national unity government four months ago, Maliki has vowed to curb militant Shia factions, some of whom also have links with movements in Iran, as part of efforts to avert civil war with Saddam's once-dominant Sunni minority. U.S. and British officials say high-powered explosives used against their troops in the past year have been supplied through Iran, though not necessarily with government approval.
COMMENT: It is a message that may please Maliki's sponsors in the United States, who accuse Iran of funding and training militants fighting U.S. forces in Iraq, possibly in response to mounting U.S. pressure on Tehran to halt its nuclear program. COMMENT ENDS.
