Ahmadinejad blast US "conspiracies" against Iran-Iraq ties


dpa German Press Agency
Published: Monday February 5, 2007

Tehran- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday that "conspiracies" by the United States will not affect ties between Iran and Iraq. "The various conspiracies by the US for causing a rift between Iran and Iraq will lead to nowhere as both countries are determined to expand bilateral ties in all fields," Ahmadinejad told visiting Iraqi Shiite leader Abdul-Aziz Hakim in Tehran.

According to ISNA news agency, Ahmadinejad reiterated that Iran was ready to provide Iraq with all facilities for accelerating the reconstruction process.

Hakim has already met in Tehran with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and national security chief Ali Larijani.

Hakim had earlier Monday called on Iran to hold talks with the United States over Iraq, Fars news agency reported.

"Talks between Iran and the US are definitely very important and Iraqi officials are in favour of these talks," the head of the Shiite group SCIRI said in Tehran.

Iran has not ruled out talks with the US over Iraq but first expects a serious demand from the American side.

While the Baker-Hamilton commission had called on talks with Iran last Janaury, the government of President George W Bush rejected the idea.

Ahmadinejad has several times said that Iran was willing to talk with the US on Iraq but his requests had so far been rejected.

A previous effort by the two countries in April last year failed after both sides could not agree on the agenda and venue.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency