Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Iran offers to help U.S. develop exit strategy from Iraq
Politics, Region
(AFP) - Iran is willing to help its foe the United States develop an "exit strategy" from Iraq, the country's deputy foreign minister said in an interview published Wednesday. Abbas Araghchi, speaking to the Financial Times business daily, also dismissed US allegations that Iran was supplying Iraqi insurgents with weapons, and added that no amount of pressure would convince Iran to give up its contested nuclear programme.
"Their invasion was a disaster -- let there not be a disastrous withdrawal," Aragchi told the paper. "Yes, immediate withdrawal could lead to chaos, civil war. No one is asking for immediate withdrawal of foreign forces. But there should be a plan." Aragchi said, however, that the American presence in Iraq was part of the problem, telling the FT that Iraq is "suffering a vicious cycle."
"There are foreign forces who have occupied Iraq and justify their presence under the pretext of the 'war on terror' and there are terrorists who claim they are fighting occupiers," he said. He said, as well, that American claims that Iran was supplying Iraqi insurgents were without basis: "They should stop blaming others for problems they have themselves created. In fact, the number of weapons that have come into Iran from Iraq is high, as you can see by reading the crime pages of (Iranian) newspapers. Terrorist groups as well as criminals see Iraq as an opportunity."
Aragchi also addressed Iran's controversial uranium enrichment programme, which the country insists is for peaceful purposes, though Western powers say it can be used to produce an atomic bomb, and have slapped Iran with sanctions. "There are two options -- confrontation and co-operation .... What has been the result of three Security Council resolutions, two introducing sanctions? "Iran has quickened the pace of peaceful activities and reduced its co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency ... This can go on, but the result is an escalation of the crisis."
"Their invasion was a disaster -- let there not be a disastrous withdrawal," Aragchi told the paper. "Yes, immediate withdrawal could lead to chaos, civil war. No one is asking for immediate withdrawal of foreign forces. But there should be a plan." Aragchi said, however, that the American presence in Iraq was part of the problem, telling the FT that Iraq is "suffering a vicious cycle."
"There are foreign forces who have occupied Iraq and justify their presence under the pretext of the 'war on terror' and there are terrorists who claim they are fighting occupiers," he said. He said, as well, that American claims that Iran was supplying Iraqi insurgents were without basis: "They should stop blaming others for problems they have themselves created. In fact, the number of weapons that have come into Iran from Iraq is high, as you can see by reading the crime pages of (Iranian) newspapers. Terrorist groups as well as criminals see Iraq as an opportunity."
Aragchi also addressed Iran's controversial uranium enrichment programme, which the country insists is for peaceful purposes, though Western powers say it can be used to produce an atomic bomb, and have slapped Iran with sanctions. "There are two options -- confrontation and co-operation .... What has been the result of three Security Council resolutions, two introducing sanctions? "Iran has quickened the pace of peaceful activities and reduced its co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency ... This can go on, but the result is an escalation of the crisis."
Labels: Abbas Araghchi, exit strategy, Iran, Iraq, U.S.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Iran may not attend Cairo conference on Iraq due to detainees
Security, International, Iran
(Reuters) - Iran may not attend a multilateral conference on Iraq next month that includes the United States if U.S. forces do not release five Iranians it is holding there, a newspaper reported on Wednesday. In January, U.S. forces detained five Iranians linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards by Washington, which said they were backing Iraqi militants. Iran denies the charges, says they are diplomats and has demanded their release.
"We have reminded Iraqi officials that as long as the Iranian diplomats are not freed, Iran's participation at any conference about Iraq with the presence of America will face a serious problem and obstacle," Abbas Araghchi, a senior Foreign Ministry official, told Iran's hardline Kayhan daily. Araghchi represented Iran at a meeting of the United States, other world powers and Iraq's neighbors in Baghdad in March. During that meeting, he spoke with the U.S. representative, Zalmay Khalilzad, Washington's ambassador to Baghdad.
The meeting expected next month will be at ministerial level. U.S. officials have said U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice was open to talks with Iran over its role in Iraq but Tehran has said it has no plans for such a meeting. Iran said this month it had warned Iraq in a letter that its failure to secure the release of the five detained Iranians could impair Tehran's cooperation with Baghdad. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said he had not received any letter.
The U.S. military has said it is considering an Iranian request to visit the men. An International Committee of the Red Cross team has visited the detained Iranians. Araghchi said the Red Cross confirmed they were in "good health."
"We have reminded Iraqi officials that as long as the Iranian diplomats are not freed, Iran's participation at any conference about Iraq with the presence of America will face a serious problem and obstacle," Abbas Araghchi, a senior Foreign Ministry official, told Iran's hardline Kayhan daily. Araghchi represented Iran at a meeting of the United States, other world powers and Iraq's neighbors in Baghdad in March. During that meeting, he spoke with the U.S. representative, Zalmay Khalilzad, Washington's ambassador to Baghdad.
The meeting expected next month will be at ministerial level. U.S. officials have said U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice was open to talks with Iran over its role in Iraq but Tehran has said it has no plans for such a meeting. Iran said this month it had warned Iraq in a letter that its failure to secure the release of the five detained Iranians could impair Tehran's cooperation with Baghdad. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said he had not received any letter.
The U.S. military has said it is considering an Iranian request to visit the men. An International Committee of the Red Cross team has visited the detained Iranians. Araghchi said the Red Cross confirmed they were in "good health."
Labels: Abbas Araghchi, international security conference, Iran, Iranian detainees, Iraq, U.S.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Petraeus says Iran, Syria, fuelling Iraq's insecurity
Security, Region
(AP) The top U.S. commander in Iraq said in an interview released Monday that it's "indisputable" Iran is training and arming militants to fight against U.S.-led troops in Iraq. Gen. David Petraeus also told ABC News that suicide bombers are streaming across Iraq's border from Syria and making their way into the country's volatile western Anbar province.
His comments follow a harsh exchange of words over the weekend between the U.S. and Iran at a conference in Baghdad on Iraq's security. The U.S. envoy to the talks, David Satterfield, said he had evidence that Iran was arming Shiite Muslim militias in Iraq, which his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, vehemently denied. He called such accusations a "cover" for U.S. failures in Iraq.
At the conference, both Iran and Syria pledged to support moves to stabilize Iraq, including reconciliation among Iraq's factions. But U.S. and Iraqi leaders have questioned Iran's commitment to backing such American-led efforts. In the interview with ABC, Petraeus said cooperation from Iran and Syria would be key to stopping the violence in Iraq.
He said there are elements of Iran's Revolutionary Guards elite Quds Force that are training fighters and sending them into Iraq to fight U.S.-led forces. He said Iran is also sending "rockets, mortars and other explosives and munitions" into the country. "That's indisputable and again it's a very, very problematic situation four our soldiers and Iraqi soldiers," he told ABC. "And if it's something that can be brought to a halt through these initiatives of the Iraqi government, we would applaud that vigorously," he said, referring to the talks in Baghdad aimed at bringing security to the country.
His comments follow a harsh exchange of words over the weekend between the U.S. and Iran at a conference in Baghdad on Iraq's security. The U.S. envoy to the talks, David Satterfield, said he had evidence that Iran was arming Shiite Muslim militias in Iraq, which his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, vehemently denied. He called such accusations a "cover" for U.S. failures in Iraq.
At the conference, both Iran and Syria pledged to support moves to stabilize Iraq, including reconciliation among Iraq's factions. But U.S. and Iraqi leaders have questioned Iran's commitment to backing such American-led efforts. In the interview with ABC, Petraeus said cooperation from Iran and Syria would be key to stopping the violence in Iraq.
He said there are elements of Iran's Revolutionary Guards elite Quds Force that are training fighters and sending them into Iraq to fight U.S.-led forces. He said Iran is also sending "rockets, mortars and other explosives and munitions" into the country. "That's indisputable and again it's a very, very problematic situation four our soldiers and Iraqi soldiers," he told ABC. "And if it's something that can be brought to a halt through these initiatives of the Iraqi government, we would applaud that vigorously," he said, referring to the talks in Baghdad aimed at bringing security to the country.
Labels: Abbas Araghchi, General David Petraeus, Iran, Quds Force, Shiite militias, Syria
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Iran to attend Baghdad security conference
Politics, Security, Region
(ISNA) Iran's foreign minister informed that an Iranian delegation led by the deputy of legal and international affairs in Iran's foreign ministry would take part in the upcoming conference in Iraq. Speaking at a press conference, Manouchehr Mottaki announced that Abbas Araghchi would lead the Iranian delegation in Iraq's neighboring countries conference. Iran is to participate in the event this Saturday, in order to offer help to the Iraqi nation and government.
Labels: Abbas Araghchi, Baghdad security conference, Iran
