Iraq will not expel Iranian exiles

Iraqi daily Azzaman
September 2, 2008

Iraq has no intention of expelling Iranian exiles from its territory despite its strong objection to their presence, a senior Interior Ministry official said.

“The government will deal with the elements of Mujahideen Khalq Organization in a humanitarian way and in the light of international law,” said Ali al-Dabbagh the ministry’s spokesman.

Iraqi forces have reportedly restored control of the group’s main military base al-Ashraf which was until very recently under U.S. military protection.

There are nearly 4,000 armed Mujahideen members in the camp which was target of numerous Iranian missile and air attacks before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

For the U.S. the exiles are ‘terrorists’ but it has opted to protect them despite Iraqi government’s repeated calls to close their camp.

“Iraq will not force the group to leave. It will rather encourage the group to go to another state that will accept their asylum,” Dabbagh said.

Dabbagh warned the group against taking any measures, whether political or military, as long as they are in Iraqi territory.