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Talabani in Tehran to strengthen ties
22.11.2005
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TEHRAN, 22 Nov.
(AKI/DAWN) - The Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani,
continued his landmark visit to Iran on Tuesday
holding meetings with top Iranian officials. The
Kurdish leader is the first Iraqi president to visit
the country since 1960. After meeting his Iranian
counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday, he was
meeting Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the president
of the Council for the Discernment of the State, and
Ali Larijani, the secretary general of the Supreme
Council for National Security on Tuesday. Security
and terrorism will form the basis of talks between
Talabani and the Iranian officials.
The Iraqi authorities have frequently accused the
Tehran government of not controlling the 1,336
kilometre-long border that separates the two
countries, facilitating the passage of terrorists
and arms from Iran to the guerrilla fighters in
Iraq, particularly the Shiite guerrillas.
Mohsen Hakim, one of the leaders of the Supreme
Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, (Sciri),
expressed his satisfaction with Talabani's trip to
Iran.
"Stabilising the close relations with our neighbour
Iran is a priority for Iran," said Mohsen Hakimi in
an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI).
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Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (R) and Iraqi
President Jalal Talabani smile during a press
briefing in Tehran November 21, 2005.
Photo: Reuters |
According to Hakim, there is no evidence of any
collaboration between Iran and the Iraqi insurgents.
"It's very probable that these accusations are a
result of misunderstandings and of a different
interpretation of the concept of security," said
Hakim.
Mohsen Hakim suggested that the leaders of the
region, "come up with one interpretation of all the
security issues which would not leave any more room
for mistakes and would reinforce regional
collaboration."
www.adnki.com
Ahmadinejad: Iran and Iraq "one soul in two
bodies"
TEHRAN,
Iran - The Iranian president emerged from meetings
with his Iraqi counterpart Monday, saying the two
countries have ''one soul in two bodies.''
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the United States, which
has nearly 160,000 troops in Iraq in support of the
government, wanted to block better ties between the
Shiite Muslim-dominated nations.
''Iran completely supports freedom for the Iraqi
people, the current political developments and
national sovereignty. Those who have deployed
hundreds of thousand military forces in Iraq are not
interested in seeing better relations between our
two countries,'' Iranian television quoted
Ahmadinejad, as saying after meeting Iraqi President
Jalal Talabani, who is paying a three-day visit.
Washington has accused Iran of meddling in Iraqi
affairs after U.S.-led forces drove Saddam Hussein
from power in April 2003. Iran denies the charge.
''History, religion, culture, geography and mutual
interests have bound the two countries. Tehran and
Baghdad have one soul in two bodies,'' Ahmadinejad
said.
''A democratic, independent and developed Iraq will
become Iran's best friend. Iran will stand by the
Iraqi people,'' Ahmadinejad said.
Under Saddam, Iraq fought an eight-year war against
Iran that killed more than 1 million people on both
sides.
AP
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