Iran concerned about Iraq's security: minister

State-run Mehr News Agency
January 15, 2007

TEHRAN, Jan. 15 (MNA) – Iranian Intelligence Minister Gholam-Hossein Ejei said on Sunday that Tehran is concerned about Iraq’s security situation.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran regrets what is going on in Iraq and has always tried to help the popular Iraqi government to counter insecurity,” Ejei told reporters in a joint press conference with the visiting Iraqi State Secretary for National Security Shirwan al-Waili…

He added even though the meeting was centered on security issues they discussed other topics such as activities of the terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) based in Iraq.

The minister stated that they also discussed the issue of five Iranian diplomats who were arrested by the U.S. troops in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil on Thursday.

Al-Waili said that Iraq’s neighbors especially Iran can play a key role in establishing peace and security in Iraq, expressing hope that Iran’s security cooperation will be expanded.

“The scourge of terrorism is a threat not only to Iraq but also all regional countries and we should all join hands to uproot terrorism and restore calm to the country,” the Iraqi security official noted.