Posted on 07/07/2005 5:48:14 PM PDT by Flavius
Former enemies Iran and Iraq say they will launch broad military co-operation including training Iraqi armed forces.
"It's a new chapter in our relations with Iraq," said Iranian Defence Minister Admiral Ali Shamkhani.
He was speaking at a joint news conference in Tehran with his Iraqi counterpart Saadoun al-Dulaimi.
Relations between the neighbours - who fought a bitter war from 1980 to 1988 - have improved greatly since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
This is the first visit to Iran by an Iraqi military delegation since the war, in which a million people died, started.
We have come to our Iranian brothers to ask them for help Saadoun al-Dulaimi The promise of co-operation comes despite repeated accusations by the US - which has about 140,000 troops in Iraq - that Iran has been undermining security there.
"No one can prevent us from reaching an agreement," Mr Shamkhani said when asked about possible US opposition.
Forgiveness
Mr Dulaimi echoed his Iranian counterpart's view about a new era of Iranian-Iraqi ties.
"I have come to Iran to ask forgiveness for what Saddam Hussein has done. The same has to be done with Kuwait and all Saddam Hussein's victims," he told the news conference.
Iranian special forces Iran has one of the largest armed forces in the region Tehran has asked Baghdad not to allow the US to establish long-term military bases on its soil, fearing that it would consolidate what Iranians see as the American and Israeli military domination of the region.
But Mr Dulaimi insisted that foreign troops were needed to ensure Iraqi security.
He added: "Iraq will not be a source of insecurity and instability for any of its neighbours. Nobody can use [Iraqi territory] to attack its neighbours."
Sensitive issues
Among other areas of co-operation, Mr Shamkhani listed mine clearance, anti-terrorism, identifying those still missing from the Iran-Iraq war and training and re-equipping the Iraqi army.
The two ministers said more sensitive issues such as a full peace treaty and war reparations were still a long way from being resolved.
"We have come to our Iranian brothers to ask them for help and we have not yet started on the more sensitive issues," Mr Dulaimi said.
In May Iran's foreign minister promised to tighten security on the two countries' border on his first visit to Baghdad.
An Iraqi government delegation headed by Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari is expected to visit Tehran next week.
I think Iran smells an opportunity to move in to influence the future of the region and Islam.
I don't believe I'm reading this. Iran doesn't have a well-trained army .. what they have are a bunch of people in uniforms who know how to parade march. That's what Saddam had too.
The Americans and the Brits have fighting armys - along with the Aussies. I don't know of any other country which has standing armies.
I have always had the feeling that after all we have done and are doing in Iraq, they will turn on us one day. Blood is thicker than water and the Muslim culture is thicker than blood.
The next government that will be voted on in December will be about 20% Sunni and Allawi is sure to pick up more Shia votes, so you are going to have far less of a pro-Iranian government next year.
The regime isn't doing this without an ulterior motive.
It is not a good thing to ride the back of a hungry tiger. Iraq will pay a terrible price for the alliance with Iran. The US should declare victory now and come home.
How magnanimous of them. They want to play 'big brother' to Iraq the way that Syria plays it to Lebanon.
I hope that Iraq, all on its own, tells them to take a hike.
wtF?
It's more than that
Let's all remember this is being reported by the BBC, the British equivalent to the NYT.
I believe it's the Sunnis that supported Saddam and the Shiites that have always been allied with Iran...
I guess I'm weighing it against the war in Iraq - I don't know of any other nation who could have done what we've done; any nation who has the combination of air, land and sea capability.
I guess that's what I mean by a standing army.
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