Eurasia Press & News
Iranian Parliament Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel here on Wednesday said Iran accepted to attend talks with the US over Iraq because it viewed the meeting as a precious opportunity to solve or reduce the problems of the Iraqi people. “Since the very beginning we believed that the US invasion of Iraq was wrong and we viewed it as a dishonest move which was made for oil but in the name of democracy. As a country which knows Iraq and Iraqi nation well, we can inform the US of our views about strengthening of security and stability in Iraq, and we hope that they are wise enough to listen and act upon Iran’s advice and rescue themselves from this quagmire (of Iraq),”
Asked about his assessment of the United States’ new arms aid package to the Middle-Eastern countries, he described the move as a very profitable trade for the US, and continued, “These weapons cannot bring stability to any state. This is the nations’ support, and not the American weapons, which can secure stability for governments.”
The chief legislator ruled out allegations that the US arms aid to regional countries is aimed at a confrontation with Iran’s growing power and influence, saying, “Weapons are used against aggressive countries but Iran has never been an aggressive state and it has no incentive for doing so. On the contrary, Iran is prepared for any kind of Islamic solidarity.”
Meantime, he reminded the US that such moves cannot counter Iran’s popularity among Islamic nations.
In response to questions if the issue of the five Iranian diplomats kidnapped during a raid by the US troops on Iran’s consulate general in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil last January would be discussed during the current visit to Iran by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Haddad Adel viewed the visit as important, and underlined the need for the strengthening of the Iraqi government.
“To maintain integrity and establish security and tranquility in Iraq, the legal government of that country must be reinvigorated and we have always believed in this point and we are actually attending talks with the US in pursuit of the same goal,” he continued.
“And his (al-Maliki’s) talks in Tehran can assist with the materialization of this goal,” the Iranian lawmaker said, adding, “We also voice support for his visit and talks in Turkey and we believe that his negotiations in there played a positive and constructive role in expanding Iraq-Turkey constructive cooperation.”
He also reminded that Iran-Iraq parliamentary friendship group is responsible for following up the case with the kidnapped Iranian diplomats, and hoped that the group could help settle the issue and that Americans would use their mind and logic and end the abduction.
