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BBC: Top Iraqi condemns US over Iran ~ Irbil raid captured top terrorists doing diplomatic work...
BBC ^ | Wednesday, 17 January 2007, 16:53 GMT | BBC Staff

Posted on 01/17/2007 11:23:23 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach

Top Iraqi condemns US over Iran

Exterior of the building raided by the US forces in Irbil

The outside of the Iranian liaison office raided by US forces

One of Iraq's most powerful Shia politicians has condemned the arrest of Iranians by US forces in Iraq as an attack on the country's sovereignty.

The comments by Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, made in a BBC interview, are seen as the strongest expression yet of Iraq's concern about the US approach to Iran.

They follow two recent US raids in which Iranians were arrested.

The remarks are interesting as Mr Hakim is seen as close to President Bush, says the BBC's Andrew North in Baghdad.

Late last year, US troops descended on Mr Hakim's residential compound in Baghdad and detained two Iranian officials.

They were later released, but last week, five more were detained at the Iranian liaison office in Irbil. They are still being held.

US officials say they are linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard which they allege trains and arms Iraqi insurgents.

Delicate balance

Iran, which has demanded their immediate release, says they are diplomats engaged in legitimate work.

Iraq has sought to bring about a dialogue between the US, Iran and Syria, Mr Hakim, leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, told the BBC.

Any tension between Washington and Tehran might have adverse consequences for Iraq, he said.

We fully respect the views, policies and strategy of the United States, which is the strongest ally to Iraq, but the Iraqi government has national interests of its own

Hoshyar Zebari
Iraqi Foreign Minister

"Regardless of the Iranian position we consider these actions as incorrect," Mr Hakim said.

"They represent a kind of attack on Iraq's sovereignty and we hope such things are not repeated."

On Sunday, Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said that Iraq needed a constructive relationship with Iran.

"We can't change the geographical reality that Iran is our neighbour. This is a delicate balance and we are treading a very thin line.

"We fully respect the views, policies and strategy of the United States, which is the strongest ally to Iraq, but the Iraqi government has national interests of its own," Mr Zebari said. Mr Hakim is said to be close to President George W Bush and has backed his new plan for Iraq.

Speaking after a lengthy meeting with Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, Mr Hakim said that, under the plan, Iraqi security forces would be in charge for the first time in four years, while the multinational troops provide support.

"This came about at the request of the Iraqis. They met and decided to carry out these operations and be fully responsible while the multinational forces support them," said Mr Hakim.




TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: iran; iraq; irbilraid
FreeRepublic thread:

IRANIAN ARRESTED IN ERBIL IS WANTED IN AUSTRIA
AKI ^ | 1/17/07

Posted on 01/17/2007 6:19:37 AM PST by Valin

********************************************************

Iran, which has demanded their immediate release, says they are diplomats engaged in legitimate work.

So there we have it.....

Iranians say assassination is legitimate diplomatic work.....

1 posted on 01/17/2007 11:23:30 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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To: Valin; Dog; NormsRevenge; Grampa Dave; SierraWasp; Marine_Uncle; blam; SunkenCiv; Allegra; Coop; ...

fyi


2 posted on 01/17/2007 11:24:45 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

So who will be surprised when some of the "top Iraqis" turn out to be in Iran's pocket?


3 posted on 01/17/2007 11:28:19 AM PST by austinaero
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

This is the guy who had his own house raided and two Iranians siezed. Why note quote a Iranian terrorist as far as credibility goes.


4 posted on 01/17/2007 11:29:03 AM PST by IllumiNaughtyByNature (8675309 - Call me, we'll do lunch.)
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To: All
Connecting the dots....lead paragraph from the link at post #1:

******************************

Tehran, 17 Jan. (AKI) - One of the five Iranians arrested last week by the US army in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil is wanted in Austria in connection with the assassination of Kurdish leader Andol Rahman Ghassemlu in 1989. Mahommad Jaafari Sharoudi was one of five Iranian officials detained last week in the Kurdish-controlled city on charges of being connected to a faction of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the Pasdaran, that funds and arms insurgents in Iraq.

5 posted on 01/17/2007 11:29:04 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Shia = Iran.

Also, so the integrity of diplomats are now an Iranian concern? They didn't care much about rules when they stormed our embassy and kidnapped our diplomats.
6 posted on 01/17/2007 11:30:04 AM PST by dhs12345
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Abdel Aziz al-Hakim is an interesting fellow. According to Wikipedia, Abdel Aziz al-Hakim is married to the daughter of Mohammed Hadi al-Sadr and he is the father of two girls and two boys, his son Muhsin Abdul Aziz al-Hakim is the political adviser of him while his other son Ammar al-Hakim is the Secretary General of Al-Mihrab Martyr Foundation.

Sounds like he has his own interests.
7 posted on 01/17/2007 11:31:02 AM PST by Tut
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To: Tut

It would be just too bad if something unfortunate happened to him and all of his. Oops!


8 posted on 01/17/2007 11:54:21 AM PST by 3AngelaD (ic.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

It would be fun to see us align with certain Sunni's to get rid of certain trouble making Shia's....let the good times roll....


9 posted on 01/17/2007 12:04:26 PM PST by Getsmart64
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

The question is : Which side is Abdel Aziz al-Hakim on?


10 posted on 01/17/2007 12:04:51 PM PST by nuconvert ([there's a lot of bad people in the pistachio business] (...but his head is so tiny...))
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

I hope we are diligently coercing them to explain their reasons for being in Iraq. Last I heard, it wasn't a popular vacation destination. What diplomatic business might they be on?


11 posted on 01/17/2007 12:15:04 PM PST by Tenacious 1 (No to nitwit jesters with a predisposition of self importance and unqualified political opinions!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

bump


12 posted on 01/17/2007 12:15:28 PM PST by lowbridge ("I wonder if he's in touch with the critics out there, like Matt Damon, the actor" -Chris Matthews)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Hakim...is yet another of those
Iraqi "leaders" who spent their
Saddam inspired "exiles" in Iran.


13 posted on 01/17/2007 12:15:54 PM PST by NickatNite2003 (From the Man from Hope" to the wife who snarls "Abandon All Hope!")
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To: NickatNite2003

Anyone who promotes Iran needs to be taken out of the picture - we know what Iran stands for and this guy is Sadr's son-in-law. I think Hakam needs to be arrested or shot, possibly both.


14 posted on 01/17/2007 12:33:42 PM PST by princess leah
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To: nuconvert

Iran must be putting the squeeze on all of them.


15 posted on 01/17/2007 12:39:49 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
>>> We fully respect the views, policies and strategy of the United States, which is the strongest ally to Iraq, but the Iraqi government has national interests of its own.<<<
Hoshyar Zebari
Iraqi Foreign Minister

Hey Hosey:
We fully respect the views, policies and strategy of Iraq, so long as it does not harbor forces interested in killing American's and destabilizing delicate democracy American troops have made possible for the Iraqi people. And that better be your policy too!

16 posted on 01/17/2007 12:56:02 PM PST by HardStarboard (Give Pelosi and Reid Enough Rope to Hang Themselves.)
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To: austinaero

Seems to me like this has been a problem from the onset. If my memory is correct..Chalibi, our hand picked Iraqi president prior to the war (the guy who sat next to Laura at one of the major speeches), was drummed out of the country for selling (or giving) classified information to Iranians.


17 posted on 01/17/2007 3:44:44 PM PST by berdie
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