Baghdad seeks best possible ties with Tehran: Hakim
“Iran can play an influential role in resolving Iraq’s economic and security problems due to its key position in the region,” he told the Mehr News Agency.
Iran has extensive security services and great experience, which definitely can help it play an important role in maintaining security and combating terrorism in the region, he added.
He dismissed the Western allegations of Iranian interference in Iraq’s internal affairs, saying that Tehran has repeatedly announced its readiness to cooperate with Baghdad in promoting security and stability in the neighboring country.
He said that the Iraqi government has devised a comprehensive plan to uproot terrorism, and implementation of the plan began in Baghdad.
Although the killing of Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was the mastermind of many terrorist attacks, was a great victory for Iraqis, terrorism has not ended with his death, he added.
Maintaining unity and vigilance is the only way to thwart the plots by terrorists and pro-Saddam Hussein elements to ignite civil war in Iraq, he opined.
Asked why Baghdad has called for Iran and the United States to enter into direct talks on the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program, Hakim said that a negotiated resolution would benefit all regional states.
Iraq regards Iran as an important neighboring country which has positive stances toward Iraq and which can support the Iraqi nation, he noted.
“On the other hand, the U.S. is present in Iraq and that is a reality. There is some tension between these two countries, which can endanger our situation, and if they hold talks, most of the problems will be solved,” he explained.
Asked if some hands were trying to prevent the crimes that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein committed against Iran during the 1980-1988 war from being investigated in the court trying the deposed despot, the Iraqi cleric said that all of Saddam’s crimes against humanity will be investigated.
“Saddam must be tried fairly, based on the law, for all his inhumane acts,” he asserted.
Hakim underlined the importance of the July 8-9 Tehran conference of foreign ministers of Iraq’s neighbors and expressed hope that it would have a positive outcome for the war-torn country.