Khatami: US-British campaign against Iraq is an international conspiracy

Iranian President Muhammad Khatami has strongly criticized the recent US-British military campaign against Iraq and described it as an "international conspiracy."

He asserted the importance of maintaining closer cooperation among the region's countries for "ensuring their security by their own means."

Khatami's statements were expressed during his meeting with the new Qatari ambassador to Iran, Hussein al-Dawsari. The Iranian President did not hide his criticism of the "carelessness shown by certain countries" toward the "drastic collapse in oil prices."

He called upon the oil-producing and exporting countries, especially those in the region, to cooperate in order to take "a firm position to withstand this situation."