Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Iraqi FM calls for immediate halt of Iranian shelling
Region
(Voices of Iraq) - Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zibari called for an immediate halt of the Iranian shelling operations on northern Iraq as they causing severe damage to the civilians' property in these regions.
"Zibari asserted during his meeting with the Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki on Monday afternoon in Tehran that Iraq was ready to set up a joint technical committee to discuss all details related to this subject and to agree on suitable solutions," read a foreign ministry statement received by the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
"The minister met with Mottaki in Tehran, during which they probed issues of mutual interest as well as the meeting of Iraq's neighboring countries, Egypt, Bahrain, in addition to the U.N. Security Council's five permanent countries and the G8, due in Baghdad," the statement also said. The statement pointed out that the two sides discussed the Iranian shelling of the border regions in Sulaimaniya and Arbil, adding no more details.
"Zibari asserted during his meeting with the Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki on Monday afternoon in Tehran that Iraq was ready to set up a joint technical committee to discuss all details related to this subject and to agree on suitable solutions," read a foreign ministry statement received by the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
"The minister met with Mottaki in Tehran, during which they probed issues of mutual interest as well as the meeting of Iraq's neighboring countries, Egypt, Bahrain, in addition to the U.N. Security Council's five permanent countries and the G8, due in Baghdad," the statement also said. The statement pointed out that the two sides discussed the Iranian shelling of the border regions in Sulaimaniya and Arbil, adding no more details.
Labels: Hoshyar Zibari, Iran, Kurdistan, Manouchehr Mottaki
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Iran ready for higher-level talks with U.S.
International
(Reuters) - U.S. and Iraqi officials began work on Wednesday on setting up a security panel with Iran to try to end Iraq's bloodshed, and Tehran said it was open to higher-level talks with Washington. The work began one day after envoys from arch foes Iran and the United States met for a second time this year to discuss security in Iraq.
U.S. ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker had bluntly accused Tehran on Tuesday of stepping up its support for Iraqi militias in the two months since the first round of talks. Sectarian violence and worsening chaos in Iraq has pushed the United States and Iran, which have not had diplomatic ties since shortly after Iran's 1979 revolution, to seek common ground, with Iraq asking both for help.
But the two rounds of talks have produced few concrete steps apart from Tuesday's agreement to establish a trilateral security committee to investigate issues such as support for militias and al Qaeda in Iraq. U.S. political and military representatives in Baghdad were working on how to set up the committee and areas which it would investigate after Tuesday's talks.
"They'll talk to the Iraqis, who will then talk to the Iranians and we'll see how we proceed from there," a U.S. embassy spokesman said. Washington accuses Shi'ite Muslim Iran of fomenting violence in Iraq. Iran denies the charge and blames the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein in 2003 for the bloodshed between Iraq's majority Shi'ite and minority Sunni Arabs.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted on Wednesday as saying that Iran was ready for higher-level talks with Washington if asked. "It can be considered if Iran receives a formal request from America," Mottaki said. Iran's semi-official Fars news agency also quoted Mottaki as rejecting the accusations that Tehran backed Iraqi militants, saying the Americans were "trying to run away from their own mistakes."
U.S. ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker had bluntly accused Tehran on Tuesday of stepping up its support for Iraqi militias in the two months since the first round of talks. Sectarian violence and worsening chaos in Iraq has pushed the United States and Iran, which have not had diplomatic ties since shortly after Iran's 1979 revolution, to seek common ground, with Iraq asking both for help.
But the two rounds of talks have produced few concrete steps apart from Tuesday's agreement to establish a trilateral security committee to investigate issues such as support for militias and al Qaeda in Iraq. U.S. political and military representatives in Baghdad were working on how to set up the committee and areas which it would investigate after Tuesday's talks.
"They'll talk to the Iraqis, who will then talk to the Iranians and we'll see how we proceed from there," a U.S. embassy spokesman said. Washington accuses Shi'ite Muslim Iran of fomenting violence in Iraq. Iran denies the charge and blames the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein in 2003 for the bloodshed between Iraq's majority Shi'ite and minority Sunni Arabs.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted on Wednesday as saying that Iran was ready for higher-level talks with Washington if asked. "It can be considered if Iran receives a formal request from America," Mottaki said. Iran's semi-official Fars news agency also quoted Mottaki as rejecting the accusations that Tehran backed Iraqi militants, saying the Americans were "trying to run away from their own mistakes."
Labels: Fars news agency, Iran, Iraq, Manouchehr Mottaki, Ryan Crocker, U.S.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Iran's FM sees "high possibility" of Iran-U.S. talks on Iraq security
Region, Security
(Reuters) - Iran's foreign minister said on Tuesday his country saw a "high possibility" that a second round of talks between the United States and Iran on the issue of Iraqi security would take place in the "near future". In the most high-profile meeting of the two foes in almost three decades, Iran and the United States held talks in May about the situation in Iraq. The two countries have not had diplomatic ties since shortly after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.
The comments by Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki to reporters are the strongest signal yet that the Islamic Republic is prepared for another round of discussions. "Iraqi officials requested Iran hold talks with the Americans and we asked them to tell the Americans to give their official request through the Swiss embassy," Mottaki said.
The Swiss embassy in Tehran handles U.S. interests in the absence of an American mission. The United States cut ties with Iran in 1980 after Iranian students stormed the embassy and took U.S. citizens hostage. "Our view ... is positive on holding a second round of talks, and with a high possibility, a second round of talks will be held in the near future," Mottaki said.
Iraq said talks would take place. "I can confirm that there will be a second round of talks in Baghdad soon. It will be at the ambassadorial level. Iraq will be there and the talks will be about Iraq's stability and security," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told Reuters.
Washington accuses Iran of fomenting violence in Iraq while Shi'ite Iran denies backing the insurgency and accuses Washington of igniting tensions between Iraq's Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims. Analysts say Washington and Tehran are both concerned about worsening violence, pushing them to agree to meet. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said this month Iran was ready to help establish peace and security in Iraq and Zebari said at the start of July he was pressing Washington and Tehran to hold a second round of talks in Baghdad but that no date had been set.
The comments by Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki to reporters are the strongest signal yet that the Islamic Republic is prepared for another round of discussions. "Iraqi officials requested Iran hold talks with the Americans and we asked them to tell the Americans to give their official request through the Swiss embassy," Mottaki said.
The Swiss embassy in Tehran handles U.S. interests in the absence of an American mission. The United States cut ties with Iran in 1980 after Iranian students stormed the embassy and took U.S. citizens hostage. "Our view ... is positive on holding a second round of talks, and with a high possibility, a second round of talks will be held in the near future," Mottaki said.
Iraq said talks would take place. "I can confirm that there will be a second round of talks in Baghdad soon. It will be at the ambassadorial level. Iraq will be there and the talks will be about Iraq's stability and security," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told Reuters.
Washington accuses Iran of fomenting violence in Iraq while Shi'ite Iran denies backing the insurgency and accuses Washington of igniting tensions between Iraq's Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims. Analysts say Washington and Tehran are both concerned about worsening violence, pushing them to agree to meet. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said this month Iran was ready to help establish peace and security in Iraq and Zebari said at the start of July he was pressing Washington and Tehran to hold a second round of talks in Baghdad but that no date had been set.
Labels: Hoshiyar Zebari, Manouchehr Mottaki, Switzerland
Monday, July 02, 2007
Iraqi / Iranian Agreement To Fix The Shatt Al Arab Situation
Government, Regional
(Al Istaqama Newspaper) - 1 JUL - On June 30th, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry announced an Iraqi / Iranian agreement to form a joint committee to fix the Shatt Al Arab situation has been reached. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement was released after a visit to Iran by an Iraqi delegation. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs met with the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Manuchehr Motaki, to discuss bilateral relations and methods to develop them.
The statement added they discussed the river border between the two countries, especially the Shatt Al Arab issue. The Deputy Foreign Minister confirmed that the Shatt Al Arab has changed. Motaki confirmed that the Shatt Al Arab issue is important for both sides. Recently, he visited the area and saw that the path of the river has changed toward the Iraqi side. Motaki added that both countries need a quick solution to fix this situation and return the river to its original path. Motaki mentioned the necessity of starting to work with a joint committee to fix the problem. Both sides agreed to form this committee and to work quickly.
The statement added that the Iraqi government will name its representatives for this committee within the next few days. The Deputy Foreign Minister confirmed that there is no problem with the normal borders because the grids have been determined in the “Al Istana Protocol” in 1913, 1975 and 1937 agreements. During the meeting between the Iraqi Foreign Ministry and the Iranian Foreign Ministry, they signed an agreement to open General Consulates (Iraqi and Iranian) to improve the friendship and neighboring relations between the two countries.
Labels: Al Istana Protocol, Manouchehr Mottaki, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shatt al-Arab
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Al-Hakim says Iran-U.S. talks "national wish"
Politics, Security, Region
(RFE/RL) - Abd al-Aziz al-Hakim, the head of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, told ISNA in Tehran on June 18 that more talks between Iran and the United States about Iraqi security "have turned into a national wish," and "everyone appreciates" the impact such talks would have in improving Iraqi security. He admitted, however, that it is difficult to say whether earlier talks have had "practical and palpable effects." He said U.S. forces should hand over "command and security operations" to Iraqi forces. "We believe security should be assured by the Iraqis themselves," with backing from coalition troops, he said.
Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki said in Tehran on June 18 that Iran has examined "word for word" the first set of Iran-U.S. talks -- held in Baghdad on May 28 -- and could not see any "clear plan that would lead to the Americans coming out of present conditions," ISNA reported, citing Mottaki's interview with Iran's Al-Aalam network.
Iran has urged the United States to change its security policies and leave Iraq. Mottaki said Iran has clear positions on various regional political issues, and its differences with the United States can be resolved through diplomacy. He said Iran does not believe the United States can "impose another crisis on American taxpayers," referring perhaps to talk of possible U.S. military strikes on Iran in connection with its nuclear program.
The issue of Iran-U.S. ties, he said, is a "thick dossier" going back decades, formed "because of the actions of the American government." Iraq, Mottaki stressed, is presently the only matter for discussion between the two states. "When we mention the issue of Iran and America, we are dealing with a specific subject, and that subject is Iraq," he said. He added that Iran may need another "week or two" to examine the request of Iraqi officials for talks with the United States to resume.
Labels: Abdul Aziz Al Hakim, Iran, Manouchehr Mottaki, SIIC, U.S.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Detained Iranians may be freed next month
Iran
(Reuters) - Five Iranians detained by U.S. forces in northern Iraq could be freed within the next month, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Friday. Washington says the five men, detained in January, are linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards and were backing militants in Iraq.
Iran insists they are diplomats, wants them freed and has requested access. Mottaki said Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, who visited Tehran in April, had indicated they could be freed by June 21. "In Mr Zebari's trip, he said that (those detained) will be released in Khordad," Mottaki said, referring to the Iranian month of Khordad, which runs from May 22 to June 21.
Mottaki added that Zebari had said he was quoting U.S. officials in his comments. Mottaki said the five detainees had expressed a wish to meet Iranian consular officials before seeing family members. "Fifteen days ago, it was discussed that the families could meet their arrested loved ones and even some preliminary work was done," Mottaki told reporters in Tehran at a meeting with family members. He did not say who the discussions were with.
"But our colleagues in detention said that we prefer to have a meeting with consulate officials first and then with our families," he said. Mottaki repeated Iran's position that the detention was illegal and said he hoped the men would be released soon. "I told Mr Zebari that even one hour of illegally keeping them in detention is not justified," he said.Iranian family members voiced fears about their detained loves ones during the meeting with Mottaki.
Officials named the other three detained as Bagher Ghabishavi, Moussa Chegini and Abbas Hatami Kasavand. Iranian and U.S. officials are to meet in Iraq on May 28 to discuss security in the country, in a rare face-to-face meeting between the two rivals which have not had diplomatic relations since shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution. The five Iranians were detained in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil. It is not clear where they are being held, but the U.S. military says they have been visited twice by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Iran insists they are diplomats, wants them freed and has requested access. Mottaki said Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, who visited Tehran in April, had indicated they could be freed by June 21. "In Mr Zebari's trip, he said that (those detained) will be released in Khordad," Mottaki said, referring to the Iranian month of Khordad, which runs from May 22 to June 21.
Mottaki added that Zebari had said he was quoting U.S. officials in his comments. Mottaki said the five detainees had expressed a wish to meet Iranian consular officials before seeing family members. "Fifteen days ago, it was discussed that the families could meet their arrested loved ones and even some preliminary work was done," Mottaki told reporters in Tehran at a meeting with family members. He did not say who the discussions were with.
"But our colleagues in detention said that we prefer to have a meeting with consulate officials first and then with our families," he said. Mottaki repeated Iran's position that the detention was illegal and said he hoped the men would be released soon. "I told Mr Zebari that even one hour of illegally keeping them in detention is not justified," he said.Iranian family members voiced fears about their detained loves ones during the meeting with Mottaki.
Officials named the other three detained as Bagher Ghabishavi, Moussa Chegini and Abbas Hatami Kasavand. Iranian and U.S. officials are to meet in Iraq on May 28 to discuss security in the country, in a rare face-to-face meeting between the two rivals which have not had diplomatic relations since shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution. The five Iranians were detained in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil. It is not clear where they are being held, but the U.S. military says they have been visited twice by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Labels: Abbas Hatami Kasavand, Bagher Ghabishavi, Hoshiyar Zebari, Iran, Iranian detainees, Khordad, Manouchehr Mottaki, Moussa Chegini, Revolutionary Guards
Thursday, May 17, 2007
U.S.-Iran talks on Iraq to begin May 28
Politics, Security
(AP) - U.S.-Iranian talks about Iraq's security will begin on May 28, Iran's foreign minister said Thursday. Manouchehr Mottaki said the negotiations would be exclusively about Iraq and that a first meeting in the presence of Iraqi officials would try to set a more detailed agenda. "Nothing but Iraq is on the agenda," he told reporters in Islamabad, where he has been attending a ministerial meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
In Baghdad, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker appeared unaware of Mottaki's announcement, saying only that he hoped the talks would take place by the end of the month. "I'm ready to sit down anytime they like," Crocker, who is to lead the U.S. delegation, told reporters. Crocker said the U.S. will be pushing Iran to be a helpful neighbor, singling out allegations that Tehran is providing militants in Iraq with powerful roadside bombs that have been used to deadly effect against American troops.
He declined to be more specific about items that might be on the agenda, but said the talks would be an opportunity for Iran to move into a "whole new era in its relationship with Iraq." Mottaki also gave no details of what Iran wanted to discuss. But he reiterated Tehran's objection to the continued presence of U.S. soldiers in its western neighbor.
"We do believe that a correct approach to Iraq should look to both points, or both areas of the difficulty. Terrorists say that 'we are doing this because of the foreign forces,' and the foreign forces saying that 'we are here because of the terrorist groups,'" he said. The agreement to hold the talks is seen as a political turnabout, but tensions between Washington and Tehran have been escalating. The U.S. accuses Iran of arming and financing militants in Iraq - a claim Iran denies - and the two sides are also at loggerheads over Tehran's nuclear program.
In Baghdad, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker appeared unaware of Mottaki's announcement, saying only that he hoped the talks would take place by the end of the month. "I'm ready to sit down anytime they like," Crocker, who is to lead the U.S. delegation, told reporters. Crocker said the U.S. will be pushing Iran to be a helpful neighbor, singling out allegations that Tehran is providing militants in Iraq with powerful roadside bombs that have been used to deadly effect against American troops.
He declined to be more specific about items that might be on the agenda, but said the talks would be an opportunity for Iran to move into a "whole new era in its relationship with Iraq." Mottaki also gave no details of what Iran wanted to discuss. But he reiterated Tehran's objection to the continued presence of U.S. soldiers in its western neighbor.
"We do believe that a correct approach to Iraq should look to both points, or both areas of the difficulty. Terrorists say that 'we are doing this because of the foreign forces,' and the foreign forces saying that 'we are here because of the terrorist groups,'" he said. The agreement to hold the talks is seen as a political turnabout, but tensions between Washington and Tehran have been escalating. The U.S. accuses Iran of arming and financing militants in Iraq - a claim Iran denies - and the two sides are also at loggerheads over Tehran's nuclear program.
Labels: Iran, Iraq, Manouchehr Mottaki, Ryan Crocker, security, U.S.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
KRG PM and Iranian FM meet to discuss bilateral relations
Kurdistan
(Al Mada Newspaper) - 7 MAY - The Iranian Foreign Minister, Manuchehr Motaki, said that the US force’s raid on the “Iranian Consulate” in Irbil affected the Iraqi government’s reputation. This statement was made during a meeting between Motaki and the Kurdistan region PM, Nijirfan Barzani in Tehran. During the meeting, Barzani called for the resumption of the “Iranian Consulate’s” activities in Irbil and to increase economic and trade cooperation. Barzani announced that the Kurdistan region government will not allow the use of Kurdish lands under any circumstances to attack Iranian interests. The Muhr Iranian News Agency published that the Kurdish Ministers of Trade and Interior also attended this meeting.
Labels: Arbil, Iran, Iranian consulate, Kurdistan, Manouchehr Mottaki, Nijirfan Barzani
Friday, May 04, 2007
Rice meets with Syrian Foreign Minister over Iraq
Conference, International
(Reuters) - Iraq held talks with its neighbors and ministers from rich and powerful nations on Friday to find ways to stem bloodshed in Iraq, and diplomats said Baghdad was pushing for U.S.-Iranian talks. The one-day conference in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh brought together Iraq's six neighbors, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, the European Union and the Group of Eight industrialized countries.
They are due to focus on border security, Iraqi refugees and political reconciliation between Iraqi factions and ethnic and religious communities. Baghdad is dependent on U.S. military support in its drive to halt a slide into all-out civil war by stamping out sectarian violence and defeating insurgents who draw support from the Sunni Arab minority once-dominant under Saddam Hussein. But the diplomats, who declined to be named, said Iran was holding out against substantial contacts with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Rice and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki exchanged pleasantries over lunch on Thursday, but a U.S. official said a bilateral meeting was not planned for Friday. "We'll see if any other kind of interaction occurs," the official added.
Rice's encounter with Mottaki and talks with Syria's foreign minister on Thursday marked a shift in U.S. President George W. Bush's once resolute opposition to high-level contacts with Iran and Syria. Baghdad's interest in seeing a Rice-Mottaki meeting is clear as it is widely acknowledged that Shi'ite Muslim Iran is an influential force on Iraq, both as a neighbor and because of its links with elements in the Shi'ite-led Iraqi government. The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, did not rule out a meeting between Rice and Mottaki.
In Sharm el-Sheikh on Thursday Rice had a 30-minute meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem -- Washington's highest-level contact with Syria in more than two years. She described the talks as "professional and business-like" and said she had urged Syria to stop foreign fighters entering Iraq. Moualem said the talks were "frank and constructive". "I didn't lecture him, he didn't lecture me," said Rice.
They are due to focus on border security, Iraqi refugees and political reconciliation between Iraqi factions and ethnic and religious communities. Baghdad is dependent on U.S. military support in its drive to halt a slide into all-out civil war by stamping out sectarian violence and defeating insurgents who draw support from the Sunni Arab minority once-dominant under Saddam Hussein. But the diplomats, who declined to be named, said Iran was holding out against substantial contacts with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Rice and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki exchanged pleasantries over lunch on Thursday, but a U.S. official said a bilateral meeting was not planned for Friday. "We'll see if any other kind of interaction occurs," the official added.
Rice's encounter with Mottaki and talks with Syria's foreign minister on Thursday marked a shift in U.S. President George W. Bush's once resolute opposition to high-level contacts with Iran and Syria. Baghdad's interest in seeing a Rice-Mottaki meeting is clear as it is widely acknowledged that Shi'ite Muslim Iran is an influential force on Iraq, both as a neighbor and because of its links with elements in the Shi'ite-led Iraqi government. The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, did not rule out a meeting between Rice and Mottaki.
In Sharm el-Sheikh on Thursday Rice had a 30-minute meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem -- Washington's highest-level contact with Syria in more than two years. She described the talks as "professional and business-like" and said she had urged Syria to stop foreign fighters entering Iraq. Moualem said the talks were "frank and constructive". "I didn't lecture him, he didn't lecture me," said Rice.
Labels: Condoleezza Rice, Iran, Iraq, Manouchehr Mottaki, Sharm el-Sheikh, Syria
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Top diplomats arrive at Sharm el-Sheikh for Iraq conference
Conference, International
(AFP) - Top diplomats from around the world converged on the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday for the biggest diplomatic push to solve Iraq's woes since the 2003 invasion. Amid hopes the two days of high-level talks could help end the bloodshed in Iraq, speculation also abounded over the prospect of bilateral talks between the United States and Iran on the sidelines, the first in almost three decades.
On her way to Egypt, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the onus was on Iraq's neighbours to show their commitment to ending the violence, warning that their own stability was at stake. Completing a shift in US policy, Rice was expected to talk to Syria and Iran, who have been accused by Washington of funding and abetting Iraq's Sunni insurgency and Shiite militias respectively. A rumoured meeting with her Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, would mark the first bilateral talks between the foes' top diplomats since the United States cut relations in 1980. However, Iran has yet to give an unequivocal sign it is ready for talks and Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Mostavafi said on Tuesday the conditions were not right for a "dialogue" with Rice at the conference.
In the run-up to the landmark conference, Western and regional leaders have hammered home the same message that Iraq's influential neighbours need to do their share. As preparatory consultations kicked off in Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh urged the international community to help rescue his country.
The Sharm el-Sheikh conference is the second attempt in two months to bring Iraq's neighbours together in a bid to reach a consensus on means of ending the carnage. In readiness for the 27 foreign ministers and 22 other delegations due to attend the talks, Egyptian police threw up a tight security cordon around the resort.
Rice was expected to arrive in Egypt later Wednesday. She was due to go straight into preliminary talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and other officials.
The two-day conference starts in earnest on Thursday with the launch of the International Compact with Iraq (ICI), an initiative providing a framework for Iraq's security and economic development. US Treasury Deputy Secretary Robert Kimmitt said the talks would seek to achieve further debt relief for Iraq's embattled economy and set clear benchmarks for its increased integration. But he remained cautious on the results that could be expected from the talks.
On her way to Egypt, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the onus was on Iraq's neighbours to show their commitment to ending the violence, warning that their own stability was at stake. Completing a shift in US policy, Rice was expected to talk to Syria and Iran, who have been accused by Washington of funding and abetting Iraq's Sunni insurgency and Shiite militias respectively. A rumoured meeting with her Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, would mark the first bilateral talks between the foes' top diplomats since the United States cut relations in 1980. However, Iran has yet to give an unequivocal sign it is ready for talks and Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Mostavafi said on Tuesday the conditions were not right for a "dialogue" with Rice at the conference.
In the run-up to the landmark conference, Western and regional leaders have hammered home the same message that Iraq's influential neighbours need to do their share. As preparatory consultations kicked off in Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh urged the international community to help rescue his country.
The Sharm el-Sheikh conference is the second attempt in two months to bring Iraq's neighbours together in a bid to reach a consensus on means of ending the carnage. In readiness for the 27 foreign ministers and 22 other delegations due to attend the talks, Egyptian police threw up a tight security cordon around the resort.
Rice was expected to arrive in Egypt later Wednesday. She was due to go straight into preliminary talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and other officials.
The two-day conference starts in earnest on Thursday with the launch of the International Compact with Iraq (ICI), an initiative providing a framework for Iraq's security and economic development. US Treasury Deputy Secretary Robert Kimmitt said the talks would seek to achieve further debt relief for Iraq's embattled economy and set clear benchmarks for its increased integration. But he remained cautious on the results that could be expected from the talks.
Labels: Condoleezza Rice, International Compact with Iraq, Iraq, Manouchehr Mottaki, Sharm al-Sheikh Conference
Monday, April 30, 2007
Iran agrees to participate in Sharm el-Sheikh Iraq conference
Region, Politics
(AP) - Iran agreed Sunday to join the U.S. and other countries at a conference on Iraq this week, raising hopes the government in Tehran would help stabilize its violent neighbor and stem the flow of guns and bombs over the border. In an apparent effort to drive home that point, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told an Iranian envoy that the persistent violence in Iraq, some of it carried out by the Shiite militias Iran is accused of arming, could spill over into neighboring countries, including those that are "supposed to support the Iraqi government."
Al-Maliki's national security adviser, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, said Sunday that the U.S. has not provided Iraq with any "solid evidence" that Iran is arming fighters in Iraq. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is also expected to attend the Iraq conference in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheik on Thursday and Friday, raising the possibility of a rare direct encounter between high-level U.S. and Iranian officials. In Washington, Rice would not rule out a meeting with the Iranians, whose delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.
Iraqi leaders had been pressing for the Iranians to attend the meeting in Sharm el-Sheik for weeks, but Iran refused to commit, in part because of fears that it would come under pressure from the U.S. and others about its nuclear program. In addition, the Iranians have been lobbying for release of five Iranians held by the U.S. in Iraq since January. The U.S. has accused the five of links to an Iranian Revolutionary Guard unit that arms and trains Shiite extremists in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East.
The decision to attend "came after consultations between Iraqi officials and the Iranian president," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said in an interview with Iranian state television. Senior Iranian envoy Ali Larijani flew to Baghdad on Sunday for talks with al-Maliki and other senior Iraqi officials, the highest-ranking Iranian official to visit Iraq since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003. During their meeting, Larijani told al-Maliki that all countries that want stability in the region "have no choice but to support Iraq's elected government."
Iraq's other neighbors as well as Egypt, Bahrain and representatives of the five permanent U.N. Security Council members have also agreed to attend the meeting. Apart from security issues, the U.S. and Iraq hope the conference will produce an agreement to forgive Iraq's huge debts and offer financial assistance in return for an Iraqi pledge to implement political and economic reforms.
But Iraq's Arab neighbors are expected to demand that the Baghdad government, dominated by Shiites and Kurds, do more to reach out to its own disgruntled Sunni Arabs before they pledge substantial aid. On Sunday, President Bush called Iraq's Sunni vice president, Tariq al-Hashimi, to discuss the importance of the reconciliation process and the need for all Iraqi parties to work together to stabilize the country, according to Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council.
The Iraqis, for their part, were anxious for the Iranians to attend to give them leverage against their Sunni-dominated neighbors and to help press their case that Sunni extremists, including al-Qaida, pose the gravest threat to stability.
Al-Maliki's national security adviser, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, said Sunday that the U.S. has not provided Iraq with any "solid evidence" that Iran is arming fighters in Iraq. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is also expected to attend the Iraq conference in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheik on Thursday and Friday, raising the possibility of a rare direct encounter between high-level U.S. and Iranian officials. In Washington, Rice would not rule out a meeting with the Iranians, whose delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.
Iraqi leaders had been pressing for the Iranians to attend the meeting in Sharm el-Sheik for weeks, but Iran refused to commit, in part because of fears that it would come under pressure from the U.S. and others about its nuclear program. In addition, the Iranians have been lobbying for release of five Iranians held by the U.S. in Iraq since January. The U.S. has accused the five of links to an Iranian Revolutionary Guard unit that arms and trains Shiite extremists in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East.
The decision to attend "came after consultations between Iraqi officials and the Iranian president," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said in an interview with Iranian state television. Senior Iranian envoy Ali Larijani flew to Baghdad on Sunday for talks with al-Maliki and other senior Iraqi officials, the highest-ranking Iranian official to visit Iraq since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003. During their meeting, Larijani told al-Maliki that all countries that want stability in the region "have no choice but to support Iraq's elected government."
Iraq's other neighbors as well as Egypt, Bahrain and representatives of the five permanent U.N. Security Council members have also agreed to attend the meeting. Apart from security issues, the U.S. and Iraq hope the conference will produce an agreement to forgive Iraq's huge debts and offer financial assistance in return for an Iraqi pledge to implement political and economic reforms.
But Iraq's Arab neighbors are expected to demand that the Baghdad government, dominated by Shiites and Kurds, do more to reach out to its own disgruntled Sunni Arabs before they pledge substantial aid. On Sunday, President Bush called Iraq's Sunni vice president, Tariq al-Hashimi, to discuss the importance of the reconciliation process and the need for all Iraqi parties to work together to stabilize the country, according to Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council.
The Iraqis, for their part, were anxious for the Iranians to attend to give them leverage against their Sunni-dominated neighbors and to help press their case that Sunni extremists, including al-Qaida, pose the gravest threat to stability.
Labels: Adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, Ali Larijani, Condoleezza Rice, Iran, Manouchehr Mottaki, Mohammad Ali Hosseini, Nouri Al-Maliki, Sharm al-Sheikh Conference
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Iran to consider taking part in Sharm el-Sheikh conference after speaking to Iraq
Politics, Iran
(ISNA) - The foreign ministers of Iran and Iraq, Manuchehr Mottaki and Hoshyar Zebari, met in Tehran on April 25, ISNA reported. Mottaki said afterward that Iran will consider taking part in an Iraq-related summit at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, scheduled for May 3-4, ISNA reported. The conference is to be attended by Iraq's neighbors and Egypt, Bahrain, and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Mottaki said Iran's presence would show its "serious resolve" to help bring "stability and security" to Iraq. He said Zebari gave him explanations about certain "decisions" that had provoked "doubts" on earlier agreements between Iran and Iraq over an unspecified "course of affairs." He did not elaborate. Iran, he added, will announce its decision in light of Zebari's explanations, ISNA reported. Zebari said he brought Iran a "message" and that Iraq understands Iran's position on the conference. He stressed that "Iraq needs the participation of all neighboring states, especially Iran, in this conference." He said "we are optimistic" that five Iranians arrested in Irbil last January by U.S. forces will be released "soon."
Labels: Hoshyar Zibari, Iran, Manouchehr Mottaki, Sharm el-Sheikh
Monday, April 23, 2007
Rice urges Iran to participate in Sharm el-Sheikh Iraq conference
Security, Conference, International
(Financial Times) - Condoleezza Rice is urging Iran to join her at a high-level conference on the future of Iraq next week, signalling that Washington is now ready for a serious exchange of views with Tehran after several months of resisting Iran’s advances in the region. In an interview with the Financial Times, the US secretary of state said it would be a “missed opportunity” if Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran’s foreign minister, did not attend the minister-level meeting to be hosted by Egypt.
Ms Rice denied that the Bush administration’s Iran policy had ever been directed at regime change, insisting that the aim was to “have a change in regime behaviour”. Washington’s need to secure the right regional environment for its eventual withdrawal from Iraq is growing ever more acute as its “surge” of extra troops is failing to contain the violence. Last Wednesday alone nearly 200 people died in bombings, and on Sunday 17 Iraqis were killed.
That “hostile forces” would respond to the US security plan was to be expected, Ms Rice said, blaming al Qaeda, not Iran, for the suicide bombings. She said two more US brigades were still to be deployed, adding the US needed “a little time” to judge the “trend lines”. Ms Rice’s attempts to draw Iran into the conference – which will include Iraq’s neighbours as well as the permanent members of the UN security council and the G8 industrialised nations – contrasted with her previous resistance to such talks.
Since then there had been a “rebalancing”, she said, particularly after President George W. Bush’s speech on January 10 announcing the extra troops and a more aggressive response to Iran’s perceived role in arming and training Iraqi Shia militia. Analysts said it remained to be seen whether the US had achieved what Robert Gates, the defence secretary, said in January was the “leverage” it needed before engaging Iran.
Iran says it will decide on its attendance at the May 3-4 conference after meeting Hoshyar Zebari, Iraq’s foreign minister, this week. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman on Sunday noted a “softening” in Ms Rice’s rhetoric. But he added that any “shift” should be put into practice.
Ms Rice denied that the Bush administration’s Iran policy had ever been directed at regime change, insisting that the aim was to “have a change in regime behaviour”. Washington’s need to secure the right regional environment for its eventual withdrawal from Iraq is growing ever more acute as its “surge” of extra troops is failing to contain the violence. Last Wednesday alone nearly 200 people died in bombings, and on Sunday 17 Iraqis were killed.
That “hostile forces” would respond to the US security plan was to be expected, Ms Rice said, blaming al Qaeda, not Iran, for the suicide bombings. She said two more US brigades were still to be deployed, adding the US needed “a little time” to judge the “trend lines”. Ms Rice’s attempts to draw Iran into the conference – which will include Iraq’s neighbours as well as the permanent members of the UN security council and the G8 industrialised nations – contrasted with her previous resistance to such talks.
Since then there had been a “rebalancing”, she said, particularly after President George W. Bush’s speech on January 10 announcing the extra troops and a more aggressive response to Iran’s perceived role in arming and training Iraqi Shia militia. Analysts said it remained to be seen whether the US had achieved what Robert Gates, the defence secretary, said in January was the “leverage” it needed before engaging Iran.
Iran says it will decide on its attendance at the May 3-4 conference after meeting Hoshyar Zebari, Iraq’s foreign minister, this week. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman on Sunday noted a “softening” in Ms Rice’s rhetoric. But he added that any “shift” should be put into practice.
Labels: Condoleezza Rice, conference, Iran, Iraq, Manouchehr Mottaki, security, Sharm el-Sheikh
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Agenda announced for Sharm el-Sheikh conference as Iran ponders participation
Security, International
(RFE/RL) - Iran is still considering whether it will attend the next meeting of foreign ministers of Iraq's neighboring countries, Iranian media reported on April 12. Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki said it is "not definite" that Iran will attend the meeting, which will be held in Cairo. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu al-Ghayt said some 50 countries are slated to take part in the May 3-4 meeting, which will be held in the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, MENA reported on April 12.
The Sharm el-Sheikh conference will focus on nine key points, "Al-Sabah" reported on April 12. In the political sphere, the conference will discuss support for national reconciliation, expanding political participation, revising constitutional issues, ending political and sectarian tension, and guaranteeing a fair distribution of wealth. Four subjects related to the security file will be addressed: supporting the law enforcement plan, speeding up the training and rehabilitation of the security forces, addressing the issue of militias and armed groups, and ending foreign interference in Iraq's domestic affairs.
The Sharm el-Sheikh conference will focus on nine key points, "Al-Sabah" reported on April 12. In the political sphere, the conference will discuss support for national reconciliation, expanding political participation, revising constitutional issues, ending political and sectarian tension, and guaranteeing a fair distribution of wealth. Four subjects related to the security file will be addressed: supporting the law enforcement plan, speeding up the training and rehabilitation of the security forces, addressing the issue of militias and armed groups, and ending foreign interference in Iraq's domestic affairs.
Labels: international security conference, Iran, Manouchehr Mottaki, Sharm el-Sheikh
Saturday, April 07, 2007
International Iraq security conference to take place in Egypt on May 3 - 4
Politics, International, Security
(DPA) - An international conference on Iraq originally planned for April will take place in Egypt on May 3 - 4, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari reported Saturday at a press conference in Baghdad. Participating in the foreign minister conference in addition to Iraq's neighbours will be the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the members of the G8 as well as Egypt, Bahrain and representatives of international organizations.
The conference will for the first time in years also bring together at the same table the foreign ministers of the United States and Iran. A preparatory meeting at the official level took place March 10 in Baghdad. The May meeting is to sound out possibilities of stabilizing the situation in violence-stricken Iraq as well as easing tensions in the region, Zebari said.
A US State Department official on Thursday said direct talks between US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki would not be ruled out.
(DPA) - An international conference on Iraq originally planned for April will take place in Egypt on May 3 - 4, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari reported Saturday at a press conference in Baghdad. Participating in the foreign minister conference in addition to Iraq's neighbours will be the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the members of the G8 as well as Egypt, Bahrain and representatives of international organizations.
The conference will for the first time in years also bring together at the same table the foreign ministers of the United States and Iran. A preparatory meeting at the official level took place March 10 in Baghdad. The May meeting is to sound out possibilities of stabilizing the situation in violence-stricken Iraq as well as easing tensions in the region, Zebari said.
A US State Department official on Thursday said direct talks between US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki would not be ruled out.
Labels: Condoleezza Rice, Egypt, G8, Iraq security conference, Manouchehr Mottaki, UNSC
Friday, March 30, 2007
British marine apologises on Arabic TV
Iran, U.K., Security
(AP) - One of the 15 British service members held captive in Iran appeared Friday on the government's Arabic-language TV and apologized for entering Iranian waters "without permission." The serviceman, Royal Marine rifleman Nathan Thomas Summers, said he was aware that the incident in which he was seized was the second time since 2004 that British military personnel had entered Iranian waters.
"Again I deeply apologize for entering your waters," Summers said in the clip broadcast on Al-Alam television. "We trespassed without permission." Summers was shown sitting with another male serviceman and the female British sailor Faye Turney against a floral curtain. Both men wore camouflage fatigues with a label saying "Royal Navy" on their chests and a small British flag stitched to their left sleeves.
The three were among 15 British sailors and marines detained by naval units of the Revolutionary Guards on March 23 while patrolling near the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab waterway for smugglers.
Britain has demanded their release, insisting that they were in Iraqi waters at the time they were intercepted. But Iran has demanded that Britain acknowledge that its sailors had violated Iranian waters, with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki saying Thursday that such an admission would help to secure their release.
Minutes before Summers appeared on TV, the official Islamic Republic News Agency said that he had given a statement. "We entered Iranian waters without permission and we were detained by Iranian coast guards. I would like to apologize for this to the Iranian people," the agency quoted him as saying. "Since our detention on March 23, everything has been very good and I'm completely satisfied about the situation," Summers added.
The TV showed pictures of the light British naval boats at the time of the sailors' seizure. The helicopter flying in the background was British, the Al-Alam newscaster said. Iran has demanded that Britain acknowledge that its sailors had violated Iranian waters, with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki saying Thursday that such an admission would help to secure the release of the 15 service members.
"Again I deeply apologize for entering your waters," Summers said in the clip broadcast on Al-Alam television. "We trespassed without permission." Summers was shown sitting with another male serviceman and the female British sailor Faye Turney against a floral curtain. Both men wore camouflage fatigues with a label saying "Royal Navy" on their chests and a small British flag stitched to their left sleeves.
The three were among 15 British sailors and marines detained by naval units of the Revolutionary Guards on March 23 while patrolling near the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab waterway for smugglers.
Britain has demanded their release, insisting that they were in Iraqi waters at the time they were intercepted. But Iran has demanded that Britain acknowledge that its sailors had violated Iranian waters, with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki saying Thursday that such an admission would help to secure their release.
Minutes before Summers appeared on TV, the official Islamic Republic News Agency said that he had given a statement. "We entered Iranian waters without permission and we were detained by Iranian coast guards. I would like to apologize for this to the Iranian people," the agency quoted him as saying. "Since our detention on March 23, everything has been very good and I'm completely satisfied about the situation," Summers added.
The TV showed pictures of the light British naval boats at the time of the sailors' seizure. The helicopter flying in the background was British, the Al-Alam newscaster said. Iran has demanded that Britain acknowledge that its sailors had violated Iranian waters, with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki saying Thursday that such an admission would help to secure the release of the 15 service members.
Labels: Al-Alam television, British navy, Iran, Manouchehr Mottaki, Nathan Thomas Summers, Royal Marine rifleman, U.K.
Iran - 'confession' by British sailor to be broadcast
Iran, U.K., Security
(AP) - Iran's official Arabic-language TV channel said Friday it would broadcast a confession by one of the 15 British sailors and marines detained last week in what Tehran insists were its territorial waters. A newscaster on Al-Alam television said the taped confession would show a British sailor explaining how he and his colleagues entered Iranian waters "in an illegal way." He did not identify the sailor, but added the tape would appear later Friday.
Iran has demanded that Britain acknowledge that its sailors had violated Iranian waters, with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki saying Thursday that such an admission would help to secure the release of the 15 service members. Earlier this week, it appeared the two countries were moving toward a resolution of the crisis. Mottaki told reporters Wednesday that the only woman in the group, Faye Turney, would be freed shortly.
However, the Iranians were angered by tough talk out of London, including a freeze on most bilateral contacts and a British move to refer the issue to the U.N. Security Council. On Thursday, the council expressed "grave concern" over Iran's seizure of the military personnel and called for an early resolution of the escalating dispute.
As tensions spiked again Thursday, the Iranians rolled back on their offer to free Turney. On Friday, however, the Turkish prime minister's office said that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had indicated his government is willing to reconsider freeing Turney, who is married and has a young daughter.
Iran has demanded that Britain acknowledge that its sailors had violated Iranian waters, with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki saying Thursday that such an admission would help to secure the release of the 15 service members. Earlier this week, it appeared the two countries were moving toward a resolution of the crisis. Mottaki told reporters Wednesday that the only woman in the group, Faye Turney, would be freed shortly.
However, the Iranians were angered by tough talk out of London, including a freeze on most bilateral contacts and a British move to refer the issue to the U.N. Security Council. On Thursday, the council expressed "grave concern" over Iran's seizure of the military personnel and called for an early resolution of the escalating dispute.
As tensions spiked again Thursday, the Iranians rolled back on their offer to free Turney. On Friday, however, the Turkish prime minister's office said that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had indicated his government is willing to reconsider freeing Turney, who is married and has a young daughter.
Labels: British navy, Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Manouchehr Mottaki, U.K.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
U.K. freezes talk with Iran as female prisoner may be released
Iran, U.K., Security
(AP) - Britain said it was freezing talks on all other issues with Iran until it freed 15 Royal Navy crew members seized last week, and the British military released what it said was proof its boats were within Iraqi territorial waters when they were seized. Iran's foreign minister said meanwhile a female British sailor held captive by Iran may be released later Wednesday or on Thursday, a Turkish TV station reported.
"The woman soldier is free either today or tomorrow," CNN-Turk television quoted Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki as saying on the sidelines of an Arab summit meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said the woman, identified as sailor Faye Turney, 26, had been given privacy.
Britain's military said its vessels were 1.7 nautical miles inside Iraqi waters when Iran seized the sailors and marines on Friday. Style gave the satellite coordinates of the British crew as 29 degrees 50.36 minutes north latitude and 048 degrees 43.08 minutes east longitude, and said it had been confirmed by an Indian-flagged merchant ship boarded by the sailors and marines.
"We had hoped to see their immediate release; this has not happened. It is now time to ratchet up the diplomatic and international pressure in order to make sure the Iranian government understands its total isolation on this issue," Blair said. British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said Britain had frozen bilateral talks with Iran on all other issues until Tehran frees the crew. "No one should be in any doubt about the seriousness with which we regard these events," Beckett told lawmakers.
The Iranian Embassy statement said: "We are confident that Iranian and British governments are capable of resolving this security case through their close contacts and cooperation." In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said the case was following normal procedures, holding out the possibility that the Britons could be brought to trial.
In talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, Beckett demanded that British diplomats be allowed to meet with the crew to make their own assessment of their health.
"The woman soldier is free either today or tomorrow," CNN-Turk television quoted Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki as saying on the sidelines of an Arab summit meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said the woman, identified as sailor Faye Turney, 26, had been given privacy.
Britain's military said its vessels were 1.7 nautical miles inside Iraqi waters when Iran seized the sailors and marines on Friday. Style gave the satellite coordinates of the British crew as 29 degrees 50.36 minutes north latitude and 048 degrees 43.08 minutes east longitude, and said it had been confirmed by an Indian-flagged merchant ship boarded by the sailors and marines.
"We had hoped to see their immediate release; this has not happened. It is now time to ratchet up the diplomatic and international pressure in order to make sure the Iranian government understands its total isolation on this issue," Blair said. British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said Britain had frozen bilateral talks with Iran on all other issues until Tehran frees the crew. "No one should be in any doubt about the seriousness with which we regard these events," Beckett told lawmakers.
The Iranian Embassy statement said: "We are confident that Iranian and British governments are capable of resolving this security case through their close contacts and cooperation." In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said the case was following normal procedures, holding out the possibility that the Britons could be brought to trial.
In talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, Beckett demanded that British diplomats be allowed to meet with the crew to make their own assessment of their health.
Labels: British navy, Faye Turney, Iran, Manouchehr Mottaki, U.K.
U.K. produces proof sailors were in Iraqi waters
Iran, U.K., Security
(AFP) - Britain on Wednesday produced evidence which it said proved that 15 of its sailors and marines held by Iran' name were "ambushed" in Iraqi waters, as Tehran insisted they had infringed on its territory. Military chiefs at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) used maps and GPS coordinates to argue that the naval personnel were clearly within Iraqi territorial waters at the northern end of the Gulf when they were seized last Friday.
The announcement marked a decisive switch from private to public diplomacy, after Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Tuesday that negotiations would enter a "different phase" if negotiations reached a dead end. The sailors were 1.7 nautical miles (3.15 kilometres) inside Iraqi territorial waters, Vice-Admiral Charles Style, deputy chief of the defence staff, told reporters.
The MoD said it disputed two sets of coordinates provided by Tehran, one inside Iraqi waters and one inside Iranian waters. "It is is hard to understand a legitimate reason for this change of coordinates," Style said. "In any case we unambiguously contest both the positions provided by the Iranians."
In a statement received by Sky News television, the Iranian embassy in London responded by insisting that the British personnel had "illegally entered" Iranian territorial waters. "This was a violation of (an) international border ... an intrusive act justfied their detention," the statement said. London argues that the eight sailors and seven marines were conducting "routine" anti-smuggling operations when they were seized at gunpoint.
Blair's spokesman said the MoD's evidence was "difficult to dispute." Diplomatic efforts seemed to have hit a stumbling block Tuesday when Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett cut short a visit to Turkey to brief parliament on the stand-off, having got nowhere in talks with her Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki.
British Home Secretary, John Reid, a former defence secretary, said the situation was delicate and "very dangerous."
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said diplomats from his country may be granted access to the British military personnel, after he held talks with the Iranian foreign minister. Britain could not immediately confirm this. Citing unnamed sources, the BBC said the British military personnel were being grilled at a Revolutionary Guards base in Tehran to find out if they were on an intelligence-gathering mission.
The announcement marked a decisive switch from private to public diplomacy, after Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Tuesday that negotiations would enter a "different phase" if negotiations reached a dead end. The sailors were 1.7 nautical miles (3.15 kilometres) inside Iraqi territorial waters, Vice-Admiral Charles Style, deputy chief of the defence staff, told reporters.
The MoD said it disputed two sets of coordinates provided by Tehran, one inside Iraqi waters and one inside Iranian waters. "It is is hard to understand a legitimate reason for this change of coordinates," Style said. "In any case we unambiguously contest both the positions provided by the Iranians."
In a statement received by Sky News television, the Iranian embassy in London responded by insisting that the British personnel had "illegally entered" Iranian territorial waters. "This was a violation of (an) international border ... an intrusive act justfied their detention," the statement said. London argues that the eight sailors and seven marines were conducting "routine" anti-smuggling operations when they were seized at gunpoint.
Blair's spokesman said the MoD's evidence was "difficult to dispute." Diplomatic efforts seemed to have hit a stumbling block Tuesday when Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett cut short a visit to Turkey to brief parliament on the stand-off, having got nowhere in talks with her Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki.
British Home Secretary, John Reid, a former defence secretary, said the situation was delicate and "very dangerous."
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said diplomats from his country may be granted access to the British military personnel, after he held talks with the Iranian foreign minister. Britain could not immediately confirm this. Citing unnamed sources, the BBC said the British military personnel were being grilled at a Revolutionary Guards base in Tehran to find out if they were on an intelligence-gathering mission.
Labels: British navy, Iran, Manouchehr Mottaki, Margaret Beckett, Turkey, U.K.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Iran - Navy personnel may be charged
Security, Iran, U.K.
(BBC) - Fifteen Royal Navy personnel captured on Friday could be charged with illegally entering Iranian waters, officials in Iran have warned. Iran's foreign minister said the issue was "being considered legally" and suggested there may be charges. But Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett have insisted there was no violation of Iranian territory. The Foreign Office said it is continuing to press for access to the group, and information on them.
On Sunday the UK ambassador to Iran, Geoffrey Adams, met officials in Tehran but failed to find out where the eight sailors and seven marines were being held or to gain consular access. Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday said Iran's detention of the personnel was "unjustified and wrong". Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, speaking from New York on Sunday, said the captured Britons were involved in "the illegal entrance into Iranian territorial waters and this issue is being considered legally".
Students belonging to the paramilitary Basij group, which is close to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have called for the Britons to be put on trial. BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera said that in a telephone call with Mrs Beckett, Mr Mottaki said consular access was not likely until the initial investigations had been concluded. Our correspondent said the Iranians were not yet thought to have hinted at any kind of deal or exchange to secure the release of the British personnel.
Instead, arguments had continued to focus on the exact position of the boats and whose waters they were in.
Our correspondent said in part this could be because the personnel were taken by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and the Iranian government as a whole may not yet have developed a unified position on how to proceed.
Dr Ali Pahlavan, the executive editor of Iran News - the only independent paper in Tehran - told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the "ultra conservative" Revolutionary Guard believed that Britain and the US needed to be challenged. "This could be part of the strategy to challenge British and American supremacy in this part of the world, which is troubling because this could lead to confrontation and this could be a trigger and could lead to escalation".
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has backed the British call for the personnel to be released, as has the EU. The capture took place as the UN Security Council voted unanimously in favour of further sanctions against Iran for its refusal to suspend its nuclear enrichment programme. Three years ago, eight British servicemen were detained by Iran after a similar confrontation. In the current incident, the Britons, who include one woman, were seized at gunpoint after inspecting an Iraqi boat and returning to their two small boats to head back to HMS Cornwall.
On Sunday the UK ambassador to Iran, Geoffrey Adams, met officials in Tehran but failed to find out where the eight sailors and seven marines were being held or to gain consular access. Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday said Iran's detention of the personnel was "unjustified and wrong". Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, speaking from New York on Sunday, said the captured Britons were involved in "the illegal entrance into Iranian territorial waters and this issue is being considered legally".
Students belonging to the paramilitary Basij group, which is close to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have called for the Britons to be put on trial. BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera said that in a telephone call with Mrs Beckett, Mr Mottaki said consular access was not likely until the initial investigations had been concluded. Our correspondent said the Iranians were not yet thought to have hinted at any kind of deal or exchange to secure the release of the British personnel.
Instead, arguments had continued to focus on the exact position of the boats and whose waters they were in.
Our correspondent said in part this could be because the personnel were taken by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and the Iranian government as a whole may not yet have developed a unified position on how to proceed.
Dr Ali Pahlavan, the executive editor of Iran News - the only independent paper in Tehran - told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the "ultra conservative" Revolutionary Guard believed that Britain and the US needed to be challenged. "This could be part of the strategy to challenge British and American supremacy in this part of the world, which is troubling because this could lead to confrontation and this could be a trigger and could lead to escalation".
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has backed the British call for the personnel to be released, as has the EU. The capture took place as the UN Security Council voted unanimously in favour of further sanctions against Iran for its refusal to suspend its nuclear enrichment programme. Three years ago, eight British servicemen were detained by Iran after a similar confrontation. In the current incident, the Britons, who include one woman, were seized at gunpoint after inspecting an Iraqi boat and returning to their two small boats to head back to HMS Cornwall.
Labels: Iran, Manouchehr Mottaki, Royal Navy, Shatt al-Arab, U.K.
