January 18, 2007

Iran says it is ready to help train and equip Iraqi security forces to combat what it calls terrorism.

Speaking after talks with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Iranian ambassador Hassan Kazemi has demanded to be shown "any shred of evidence that Iran is working to destabilise Iraq," as the US alleges.

"We are working for, not against, security in Iraq, because we know that insecurity justifies maintaining foreign troops in the country," he said.

"Iran is disposed to helping to train and equip Iraqi security forces to combat terrorism."

Mr Kazemi's remarks come more than a week after US President George W Bush announced he was sending 21,500 more US troops to Iraq to help security forces quell sectarian violence.

The ambassador says putting more foreign troops into Iraq "shows that the situation is deteriorating".

"It slows the process of transferring responsibility for security to Iraqi troops just as we need to be moving faster," he said.

"The consequences of the presence of foreign troops in Iraq have not been increased stability in Iraq.

"What we have seen is an increase in the killing of innocent people and the outbreak of sectarian strife."

'Kidnapping'

Mr Kazemi has also said the seizure of five Iranians by US forces in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil last week will not impact on Tehran's relations with Baghdad.

"This kidnapping violates Iraq's sovereignty and it is a humiliation of the Iraqi Government," he said.

"It will make other countries stop sending diplomats to Iraq."

He says he has been assured the five will be released soon.

Iraqi Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh says Baghdad is working to secure the release of the Iranians.

But he says the captured nationals are not diplomats.

Tehran accuses US forces in Iraq of violating international diplomatic regulations by seizing the five Iranians, while the US position is that the men had no diplomatic status.

Washington also insists that Tehran funds armed groups in Iraq who are indulging in the sectarian conflict.

- AFP