Khatami opposes Iran's intervention in the Iraqi internal affairs

The Iranian President Muhammad Khatami said yesterday he opposes any intervention by his country in the affairs of Iraq, considering that such an intervention will be "an insult" for the Iraqi people.

The Iranian official news agency quoted Khatami as saying in a meeting with the deputy Iraqi prime minister Barham Saleh that "any inappropriate intervention in the internal affairs of Iraq and changing attitudes of people will be a great insult to the Iraqi people."

The Iranian news agency said that Khatami sought to make assurances to Saleh by asserting the " common security of the countries of the region and thereby instability in Iraq threatens peace in these countries."