Iran attempting Shiite coup, evidence to air in two days: Iraqi DM Sat. 1 Jan 2005
Iran Focus
Baghdad, Jan. 01 Iraqs Defence Minister, Hazem Shaalan, accused Iran today of attempting to create a Safavian-style Shiite Crescent stretching from Iran all the way to Syria and Lebanon, engulfing Iraq and bringing about corruption in the country.
In comments made to the Jordanian daily, Al-Qadr (Tomorrow), the defence chief also promised to release in the next two days footage of taped-confessions from agents who, acting on foreign orders, were disrupting Iraqs security.
Mirroring previous comments Shaalan also called Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Al-Qaedas strongman in Iraq and Iraqs most wanted man, an Iranian puppet, whose goal is to destabilise security and welfare in Iraq.
He sharply criticised Iran for its efforts at destabilising Iraq and said that its objectives were known to everybody.
The purpose of the January 6th conference in Amman, on Iraqs security, is to put pressure on Iran and Syria to stop supporting insurgents who are entering the country through their borders, Shaalan said.
Over the past year, a string of Iraqi officials, including Iraqs interim-Prime Minister, Ayad Allawi, and the interim-Iraqi President Ghazi Yawar, have accused Iran of meddling in Iraq. In a December 7 interview with the Washington Post, Yawar accused Iran of pouring huge amounts of money into fundamentalist Shiite parties hoping to create an Iraqi Islamic Republic.
Shaalans comments on a Iranian-style Shiite Crescent dominating Iraq echoed comments in December by the Jordanian King Abdullah, who said a new "crescent" of dominant Shiite movements or governments stretching from Iran into Iraq, Syria and Lebanon could emerge if pro-Iran parties dominated the new Iraqi government.
The Iraqi interim-Prime Minister, Ayad Allawi, speaking on Iraqi TV today echoed comments made yesterday by Iraqs Defence Minister, about Iranian and Syrian meddling in Iraq. There are countries which host those who are involved in activities that are harmful to the people of Iraq, he said.
Allawi made the comments in response to a question by Al-Iraqiah satellite TV channel on Iranian and Syrian meddling in Iraq and the recent evidence that had been obtained in that regard.
Allawi said that he had written to Iraqs neighbours giving names and specific information that had been discovered and that he was now awaiting a response. We are waiting for a response from them (Iran and Syria), he said..
The Iraqi Defence Minister, Hazem Shaalan, announced yesterday that he had fresh information on Iranian and Syrian meddling in Iraq. I have important information regarding the interference into Iraq by these two countries, Hazem Shaalan said. Speaking on Al-Arabia satellite TV channel, Shaalan stated, The Iraqi people will soon see footage of the confessions of one of the perpetrators who has information about the meddling of these two countries in Iraq. .
Allawi, questioned about the footage, replied Certain countries host those who harm the Iraqi people
we will not tolerate harm done to the people of Iraq. .
Allawis words displayed a strong sense of frustration towards Iran and Syria. He said that his government would not turn a blind-eye to foreign meddling, forever.