Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi visits Iraq
May 17, 2005

By Aljazeera.com:

The Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi arrived in Baghdad Tuesday for talks with Iraq's new Shiite-led government in a bid to finally turn the page on the two neighbours' devastating
1980-88 war.

"We have a range of issues on both sides, including non-interference, cooperation, the economy and closing the files of the Iraq-Iran war," Kharazi's Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari told AFP.

The Iranian minister's visit, which comes two days after that of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, highlights the warming of ties between the two neighbours and their attempt to normalize relations regardless of Washington's feelings.

Relations between Shiite majority Iran and the interim government set up by the United States in June 2004, just over a year after its forces ousted Saddam Hussein, were never warm as Tehran was against the U.S.-led 2003 invasion and repeatedly called for coalition troops to leave Iraq.

Interim ministers, particularly those from the Kurdish minority and the ousted Sunni Arab elite, also backed U.S. accusations that Iran was supporting Shiite who were prepared to resort to force against the coalition.

But the January election of the Shiite-led government has helped to ease relations between the two countries, all the more so as several leading members of the new administration have close ties with Tehran where they spent years in exile under Saddam's regime.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami welcomed the setting up of the new government led by Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari, and added that Iran was ready to assist Iraq's political and economic development, and voiced hope that the new Iraq would boost ties with its neighbours based on mutual respect.

Tehran dismissed the Iraqi caretaker government’s accusations that it had provided support to the Mehdi Army of Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr during its battles against coalition troops in central and southern Iraq last year, insisting that it is a force for stability.

"Any instability in Iraq has a direct effect on Iran," Kharazi said last August. "Stability and calm is in line with the Islamic Republic of Iran's interests."

Iraq's Kurdish foreign minister said he was aware of U.S. concerns about growing Iranian influence.

"As far as the policy of this government is concerned, we value highly our relationship with the United States, and we know its influence on the region, on our country," Zebari told CNN.

"But at the same time, we are trying to build good relations with our neighbours, including Iran,"
he added.

The two countries recently signed an agreement to allow Iranian pilgrims to visit Iraq with six of the 12 imams venerated by Shiites, who form a majority in both countries, are buried in Iraq.

The agreement will also ease travel between the two countries for traders and businessmen.

Baghdad and Tehran re-established diplomatic relations last September but many issues are still left over from their devastating war which left hundreds of thousands of dead.

Iran, in the past, has called for war reparations, while Iraq has asked Tehran to return warplanes dispatched by Saddam Hussein for safe-keeping ahead of the 1991 Gulf war.

Tehran would also like to see the repatriation of the several hundred People's Mujahedeen rebels still encamped in Iraq under U.S. supervision but Washington says they have been disarmed and now pose no threat to the Islamic regime but the rebel group is anathema to Tehran.

The Iranian government would also like to be involved in Saddam's trial and is keen to see additional war crimes charges pressed over the Iran-Iraq war.

Source Link: http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/news_service/middle_east_full_story.asp?service_id=8263