The Hindu : Iran against U.S. rule in Iraq

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 12, 2003

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Iran against U.S. rule in Iraq

Teheran April 11. The Iranian Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, has called on the U.N. to play a `key role' in the transition of power in Iraq and said an American-headed government would be a slight on the Iraqi aspiration.

``My impression is that Americans are going to make a strategic mistake by putting an American government in office in Iraq, even if it a provisional government,'' Mr. Kharrazi was quoted today by the Itar-Tass news agency as telling French media in Paris. ``This will be regarded as an insult to the Iraqis, because they are quite capable of electing their own government.'' ``One should not reproach the Iraqis who greeted the U.S. troops last Wednesday'' into Baghdad, Mr. Kharrazi was quoted by Itar-Tass.

``They were looking forward to that day and they wanted to be free. The point at issue is the legality of the change. Teheran is one of the staunchest opponents of the U.S.-led war on Iraq but has taken a position of ``active neutrality'', saying it will back neither side. — IRNA

Iran, which severed diplomatic relations with Washington since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, is concerned over a U.S. military build-up on its door-steps.

— IRNA

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