FM Views Deployment of Occupying Troops as Iraq’s Main Problem

Deployment of occupying forces and insecurity are Iraq’s problems, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in a meeting with his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer in New York on Thursday. Also during the meeting which was held on the sidelines of the 62nd United Nations General Assembly meeting, the two sides discussed bolstering of economic cooperation and Iran’s nuclear issue.

The two top diplomats also exchanged views about Iraq’s issues and security, considering the deployment of a number of Australian troops in that country.

The Iranian minister reminded his counterpart that security and stability of Iraq serves Iran’s interests, given the two neighbors’ extensive ties, and said, “Iran is making its utmost efforts to establish security and stability in Iraq, but deployment of occupying troops and insecurity constitute Iraq’s problem.

“We should accept that the US has failed in Iraq,” he added.