Iran Opposes Establishment of Kurdish State in Northern Iraq: Younessi
In an interview with IRNA Younessi called the reports on setting up a joint Kurdish parliament in Iraq as "an internal propaganda game" for domestic use in northern Iraq.
However, he stressed that Iraqi opposition groups, as "major elements", play a significant role in the development of the neighboring country.
Younessi said Iran has evidence and data that show Iraqi opposition groups do not follow U.S. policies, and "will never accept to act as U.S. soldiers or lackeys".
He further reiterated Iran's position of 'active impartiality' regarding the impending U.S. attacks on Iraq, and said this position means Iran will neither join any U.S. coalition for an attack on Baghdad, nor will support the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
Younessi noted that the Islamic Republic will at the same time do its utmost to stop a war with Iraq with the cooperation of other countries of the region. Still, the Iranian minister of information said such measure should never be translated as Iran's or Syria's support for Saddam.
"But that U.S. adventures to interfere in internal affairs of other nations is a very dangerous international disaster," he said.
He reiterated that Iran and Syria enjoy common stances on major political issues, including U.S. anti-Iraq campaign and the Palestinian crisis, adding that he had 'successful and important' meetings with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on issues of mutual concern. "If U.S. assault on Iraq starts, it would be a process with no end in sight, and nobody will be secure," Younessi said. "Therefore, we believe that an international resolve must be shaped to stop the U.S. unilateralism worldwide."
He said U.S. propaganda on the need to disarm Iraq is merely a pretext to safeguard its further interests through an attack on Iraq.
"It was the U.S. that provided Baghdad with weapons of mass destruction in its war with the Islamic Republic. Still, when they gassed Iranian troops in the Kurdish region of Halabcheh, they remained silent toward the issue."
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian minister of information termed the reports about the establishment of an American military command in Baghdad as meaningless remarks, set as a psychological war to frighten the countries of the region.
The Iranian minister also reiterated that 96 percent of Iranian people hate the Zionist regime.
Younessi also held two separate meetings with the Syrian Defense Minister Major General and Vice-President Abd al-Halim Khadam on Sunday.
In meeting with Mustafa Tlass and the two sides discussed the latest developments of the region and reviewed the two countries' efforts for confronting the plots of the Zionist regime.
They also stressed the need to support the Intifada of the oppressed Palestinian people and preventing the Zionist regime from taking advantage of the current sensitive situation of the region.
Tlass, who is also Syrian deputy prime minister, termed strong relations between Tehran and Damascus as an "exemplary model" for all Islamic states of the region.
Conferring with Vice-President Abd al-Halim Khaddam on Sunday Younesi also pointed to the regional developments and the Zionist regime's abuse of the situation in the region and underlined the need for Iraq's serious and active cooperation with the UN to avoid giving U.S. any pretext to launch a military attack.
Expressing concern over the regional crisis, he called for closer ties between Tehran and Damascus to prevent a possible military attack on Iraq.
The Iranian minister said that in view of the massacre of the unarmed Palestinians by the Zionist regime with the obvious assistance of the U.S., the sustained trend of Intifada is the natural right of the Palestinians.
He underlined, "though some of the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran are sponsored by Iraq, we support Iraq's nation in line with our stable principles.
At the meeting, Khaddam said that Iran and Syria have succeeded in aborting many conspiracies by the arrogant powers and the Zionists in the region. He added, "the dangers currently threatening the region and the world, however, requires a redoubled cooperation between the two states."
Meanwhile, in a meeting with Deputy Speaker of Shia's Supreme Islamic Council Sheikh Abdul Emir al-Qibaln on Saturday the Iranian minister said that Iran is still pursuing the case of the missed Imam Mousa Sadr.
Younesi said that Iran's persistence in pursuing the matter is aimed at clarifying the matter as far as possible, despite all limitations and keeping in mind the country's possibilities.
Prominent and popular Iranian born alim, Imam Mousa Sadr disappeared during a trip to Libya, along with two of his companions in 1978, and these 24 years there has been no trace of him despite Lebanese and Iranian governments, and his followers persistent inquiries.
The Lebanese Shias, as well as the Lebanese government believe the Libyan government is responsible for the incidence The Iranian minister said during the meeting at Iran's Embassy in Beirut on Saturday night that Iran's general policy is safeguarding the unity among the Islamic ummah (nation), asking for paying as much attention as possible to promoting the Lebanese seminaries.
Sheikh Qiblan, too, elaborated on his affiliated organization's engagements and appreciated the serious concern of the Iranian authorities towards the Palestinian crisis, as well as the fate of the Lebanese Muslims.
Younesi arrived in Syria on Friday night for a three-day visit.
he had separate meetings with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Interior Minister Brigadier General Ali Hamoud, discussing issues of mutual concern, particularly the Palestinian crisis and the U.S. military build-up in the region.