Tehran: aggression on Iraq is a unilateral act

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi has asserted that the recent round of US-British attacks on Iraq was a separatist step taken unilaterally, adding that the attacks were not accepted internationally.

In a statement to the Iranian daily Keyan al-Arabi published on Sunday, Kharazi said the intervention of foreign troops in the internal affairs of any country is rejected in international norms. He added that the UN Security Council is responsible for establishing peace and dealing with crises in the world.

Kharazi indicated that Iran made contact with several capitals in the region as well as with Russia, France and Britain and tried to halt the US-British attacks before the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. He stressed his country's readiness to continue these efforts as well as to consult with Iraq and with other countries in the region and the UN in order to reach a political solution to the Iraqi crisis.

The Iranian FM called upon Iraq to cooperate with the UN Security Council and the UN Secretary General.

He added, "A solution cannot be attained through military operations, rather through political dialogue." He proceeded, "Our move falls in this context as we chair the Organization of the Islamic Conference." He hoped for an international consensus to find a final and prompt solution to the Iraqi problem.