Ayat. Khatami denies Iran role in Iraq insecurity
Iraq-Iran-USA, Politics, 12/2/2006

Iran's Substitute Friday prayers leader of Tehran Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami said yesterday that Americans have no other option but leaving Iraq.

"It would be more to your interest to leave Iraq today than tomorrow; Iraq's occupation is not an easy-to-swallow loaf," said Ayatollah Khatami in his second sermon to this week's Friday prayers congregation.

Ayatollah Khatami also held the US responsible for insecurity in Iraq.

"We are unfortunately witnessing very painful days in Iraq; there is growing insecurity (in Iraq) due to the wrong policies of the US in the region; they (the occupiers) want to win bread through insecurity." He said insecurity has gone to such an extent that the US President George W. Bush failed to visit Iraq and chose Jordan as venue of his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

The cleric also ruled out rumors that Iran has a role in insecurity in Iraq.

"The claim that Iran has a role in insecurity in Iraq is a sort of blame game. After having a bad dream, Americans bring to power another dictator like Saddam in Iraq.

"If Americans want their wish to come true, they should immediately leave Iraq; the Americans are trapped in a quagmire in Iraq, having no way to return or proceed." Ayatollah Khatami also blamed Americans for fanning the Sunni-Shiite conflict.

"Americans are playing blame games to provoke the Shiite-Sunni war and they have hidden themselves behind. Unfortunately some press in the region, too, add fuels to the flame, trying to fan insecurity." The cleric then cautioned those caring for Islam that the US is the main enemy of Islam.

"The US is siding neither Shiites nor Sunnis and these people want to remain in the region through such mischiefs," announced Ayatollah Khatami.

Previous Stories:
  Iraq's president in Iran, stability concerns   (11/27/2006)
  Iraqi president to depart for Iran next week   (11/18/2006)
  Speaker: Iran favors independence and peace in Iraq   (11/13/2006)
  Iran: US, UK should leave Iraq, region   (11/7/2006)
  Iran: conflict not with Iraq policy, but US   (10/3/2006)
  Asefi: US policy in Iraq doomed to failure   (8/14/2006)

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