Mottaki: Foreigners involved in Iraq's violence in Iraq

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Saturday that foreign hands are at work in pre-planned plots to fan sectarian violence in Iraq with an aim to harm the world of Islam.

"Of course, internal elements, i.e. the elements, who favor restoration of the past conditions, and the remaining agents of Saddam, in different disguises, are carrying out such a well-designed scenario," Mottaki told a press conference.

"We have notified regional states, especially the influential countries, to be cautious vis-a-vis such plots. Regional states should thwart the plot that has targeted Muslims' unity.

Pointing to recent events in Karbala, Mottaki said that an outspoken resolution at the level of the heads of state has been issued by the Organization of the Islamic Conference to condemn desecration of Muslims' holy sites.

Iran's ambassador to Iraq Hassan Kazemi Qomi said here Saturday that possible change of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki government will escalate security crisis in Iraq.

"The elected and legal government of al-Maliki has its base on public votes and any change in defiance of public views would escalate the security crisis in Iraq," said Qomi in a meeting with the UN Iraq envoy Ashraf Qazi.

Qomi said Iran supports the legal government of al-Maliki.

"Alike the Iraqi leaders, we believe that the solution to Iraqi problem should be sought inside the country and the crisis should not be viewed from an international angle because the country's statesmen are capable enough to overcome the problems and there is no need to foreign intervention," said Qomi.