TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran rejected U.S. suggestions that Tehran was interfering in Iraq (news - web sites) and said on Thursday it was not seeking to promote the political role of fellow Shi'ite Muslims in its western neighbor.
Washington on Wednesday said Tehran should stay out of Iraqi politics amid concerns that Shi'ite Iran was seeking to encourage the creation of a fellow Islamic republic there.
In a further sign of the U.S. flexing its muscle, U.S. Central Command in Qatar said Marines had this week started patrols on the parts of the border with Iran to "maintain Iraqi territorial integrity."
Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi told a news conference in Tehran: "Naturally the majority of Iraq is Shi'ite but we are not insisting on (the role of the) Shi'ites.
"For us, Shi'ites, Sunnis, Turks and Arabs are the same and everybody should play their role in a democratic Iraq," he said.
Iranian clerical leaders, using their influence among Iraq's Shi'ite community, had encouraged Iraqis "to put aside violence and think about unity and also move toward forming a democratic and free government," Kharrazi said.
"This does not mean interference," said Kharrazi, who added that any interim or permanent Iraqi government should remain under U.N. supervision.
Iran shed no tears over the fall of Saddam, who used chemical weapons against Iranian troops during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.
But the Islamic Republic is also an arch-foe of the United States and analysts say Tehran is eager to ensure that a future Iraqi government is at least not hostile to Iran.
Caught seemingly unaware by the political assertiveness of Iraq's Shi'ites, many of whom are friendly to Iran, Washington told Iran to keep out of Iraqi politics.
Central Command in Qatar said the border patrols had started on Monday. "We have a large area to cover," said Major Steve Greco. "We plan to screen the full length of the Wasit Province- Iran border," he said referring to the province around Kut.
It said the Marines would search and interview all people attempting to enter and leave Iraq through Iran.
In a statement Central Command said it was prepared to detain all former officials of Saddam's administration, third-country nationals and insurgents, as well assist Iraqi exiles to return home.
BORDER IS A RED LINE
"This is nothing new. U.S. and British forces have been near our borders since the start of the war in Iraq and our red lines are our borders," said Kharrazi.
U.S. officials on Wednesday said they believed Iranian-trained agents had crossed into southern Iraq since the fall of Saddam and were working to promote Iranian interests in Iraq.
Kharrazi said Washington should spend less time accusing Iraq's neighbors of interfering in the war-torn country and concentrate instead on working with them to rebuild Iraq.
"It is interesting that the United States has occupied Iraq and is now accusing Iraq's neighbors of interfering in Iraq's internal affairs," Kharrazi said.
Washington has also issued stern warnings to Syria in recent weeks, accusing it of offering asylum and assistance to fleeing members of Saddam's government.
"Instead of that (making accusations) they should welcome Iran's positive role as well as that of other countries for reconstructing Iraq," Kharrazi said.
"Instead of accusing they should pay more attention and start cooperating with other countries."
Iran has hosted many Iraqi exiles opposed to Saddam and has close links to the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), one of the main Shi'ite groups vying for a role in the future of Iraq.
In an interview with Reuters on Wednesday SCIRI head Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer al-Hakim, countered suggestions that he was seeking to establish an Iranian-style Islamic republic in Iraq.
"We should not make a copy of the Iranian revolution and establish it in Iraq," he said.
All it showed was that they new how to do "the unholy macarena" and that they need to hit themselves in the head a little harder with their swords. Some of them could still walk afterwards.
Someone has had a Come-to-Jesus meeting with him
shortly before they over ran the embassy and took several americans hostage?