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US facing serious problems in Iraq: Larijani

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Dubai, Dec 6, IRNA
Iran-US-Larijani
Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Ali Larijani here Tuesday night said the US was facing serious problems in Iraq, adding that it has not been able to defend its policies in Iraq at the international level.

Larijani, who has just arrived from an official visit in Dubai, talked to reporters before leaving the emirate.

"The US attacked Lebanon in coordination with the Zionist regime when it failed to change the situation in Iraq in its favor.

"In light of prevailing circumstances, the US needed a way to get out of the quagmire it had fallen into in Iraq. Based on its equations, it would incite changes first in Lebanon and then extend these to the entire region," he said.

But, instead, the US found itself in a deadend in the region, he added.

He said US officials now admit that they have to change their strategy in Iraq and the region as a whole. The problem is, Larijani added, Washington's work of extricating itself from this "strategic deadend" has become more difficult and complicated.

He said the problem of Iraq is a complicated one. "Only regional states can settle the problem through cooperation."

The SNSC chief said "regional states can play an effective role by providing support to the Iraqi government in its efforts to strengthen its authority and establish security in the country.

"Iran seeks regional convergence, peaceful coexistence and friendly ties with its neighbors. It has always supported Islamic states."

"Since the victory of the Islamic Revolution (in 1979), Iran has been on the forefront of the battle against the Zionist regime and its strategy has been to establish closer ties with Islamic governments in the region. This has led to greater unity of Arabs with Palestine," Larijani said.

He noted that Arab states are united on the need for US and allied forces to withdraw from Iraq, saying "to prove that it has changed its strategy in the region, the US can set a date for withdrawal of its forces from Iraq."

He said US unilateral policies in the region and refusal to accept realities, foreign interference in regional affairs, encouragement of tribal and religious differences were the factors contributing to instability in the region.

"Regional governments should learn from their past mistakes and not link their prosperity and fate to the goals of extremist adventurers which seek to make them perpetually dependent on them economically, politically and security-wise."

The SNSC secretary said the US' avowed goal of establishing democracy in the region runs counter to US interests, pointing to the US response to the victory of Hamas in the Palestinian elections in February as a clear example.

He said Washington, by freezing aid to the Hamas-led government, has eroded global trust and that "is why no one can accept the US campaign against terrorism."
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