Eurasia Press & News
TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that Baghdad Security Talks reiterate the necessity for the coalition forces to change their approach in Iraq and transfer responsibilities to the Iraqi government and people.
Speaking to reporters during his weekly press conference here in Tehran on Sunday, Hosseini viewed the security talks in Baghdad as an important step by al-Maliki’s administration, considering the grave security conditions dominating Iraq, Baghdad in particular.
He reminded that Iran has always voiced full support for the political trend in Iraq, and continued, “Iran has always played a constructive role in supporting the government, National Assembly, reinvigoration of security and reconstruction of Iraq, and senior officials of that country have always approved the positive role Tehran has played in dealing with Iraq’s affairs.”
Hosseini stated Iran’s preparedness to enhance cooperation with Baghdad in all areas and transfer its experiences to the Iraqi officials.
He further described Baghdad Security Talks as an emphasis laid on the urgent need for the coalition troops to change their approach in Iraq and the transfer of responsibilities to the Iraqi people and government.
The spokesman also voiced Iran’s support for any kind of efforts to help Iraq get rid of its present problems, saying that Iran would be the first supporter of any plan which respects Iraq’s national interests, strengthens the government and establishes stability and security in that country.
He said transfer of security arrangements, specification of a time-table for the withdrawal of foreign troops, serious and non-discriminative confrontation with the terrorist groups and avoidance from activating or using terrorist groups in Iraq as the pivotal points which could bring peace, security and stability to Iraq.
In response to another question, the foreign ministry spokesman said that the Iranian delegation has not attended any bilateral talks with the US officials within or on the sidelines of Baghdad Security Talks.
“There has been no direct and face-to-face meeting between the Iranian and American delegations,” he stressed.
Elsewhere, he confirmed Sunday reports about the willingness of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for attending the upcoming UN Security Council meeting, saying that the president intends to defend the Iranian nation’s nuclear rights at the meeting.
Yet, he declined to provide any further details in this regard.
Hosseini further stressed Iran’s legal right to access civilian nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, and stressed, “No one can give up this right.”
Describing negotiating table as the best place to resolve Iran’s nuclear issue, he warned that radical moves by the other side undermine legal and logical solutions.
The spokesman further pointed to the problems concerning delivery of nuclear fuel and completion of works at Iran’s first nuclear power plant in Bushehr, the spokesman expressed the hope that Russia would not politicize the issue and comply with its duties regarding delivery of fuel promptly.
Elsewhere, the diplomat pointed to the recent reports and analyses about the former Iranian deputy defense minister Asgari, and described such press contents as unreliable.
He noted talks between the Turkish officials and an Iranian delegation dispatched to Ankara by Tehran, and said that Iran is now waiting for the response of Turkish officials in this regard.
In response to another question about an Iranian diplomat detained in Baghdad, Hosseini said that Tehran is pursuing the issue through different channels, and hoped that Tehran-Baghdad talks would soon yield fruits and the second secretary of Iran’s embassy in Iraq, Jalal Sharafi, would soon be released.
Meantime, he said that Sharafi is kept somewhere in Baghdad, and took the Iraqi and US administrations responsible for the life and release of the Iranian diplomat.
Concerning Iran’s enhanced cooperation and ties with the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) member states, the spokesman said that some of the heads of the Persian Gulf littoral states are due to visit Tehran in the near future.
Asked to clarify Iran’s stance on the current developments in Palestine, the foreign ministry spokesman stressed that Tehran extends full support to the formation of a national unity government in Palestine.
Asked about the tripartite meeting between Iran, Sudan and Chad in Tehran last week, the spokesman said, “In line with Iran’s mediation efforts and following the recent talks between the presidents of Sudan and Chad with their Iranian counterpart Ahmadinejad, Khartoum and N’djamena dispatched their envoys to Tehran to discuss the differences between the two African states.”
He voiced pleasure with the said meeting, and added, “During the meeting, the two sides achieved several agreements, including formation of the two countries’ joint political committee to revise their diplomatic relations and reopening of embassies, setting up of a security and military committee, formation of an economic and social committee to eradicate poverty in these two states, and serious endeavors by either side to prevent entrance of different elements into the other country.”
