The Hindu : Keep off Iraq, U.S. tells Iran

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 25, 2003

International

International

Keep off Iraq, U.S. tells Iran

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington APRIL 24. The Bush administration is warning Iran to stay out of Iraqi matters and issues. The United States has asked Teheran not to interfere with the democracy road map that is being laid out for Iraq.

In the last few days, against the backdrop of some major demonstrations by Shia Muslims in Iraq, the administration here has been worried about the possibility of Iran trying to get a foothold in the emerging scheme of things even while outwardly giving the impression that Washington looked at the Iraqi protests in the context of freedom and the changed environment. "We have concerns about this matter'', the White House spokesman, Ari Fleischer, said without confirming that intelligence agents from Iran were making their way towards Iraq or were already inside that country. "We have made clear to Iran that we would oppose any outside organisations' interference in Iraq and interfering with the road to democracy'', the spokesman remarked. "Infiltration of agents to destabilise the Shiite population clearly falls into that category'', Mr. Fleischer noted. The White House is also comforting itself with the thought that Iran's efforts is not likely to succeed due to cultural differences. But this by itself is not stopping Washington from sending a blunt message to Teheran. The two countries do not have formal diplomatic relations and messages have been routed through third channels. During the war in Iraq and over the last few days, senior administration officials have issued warnings to Iran not to complicate the American and coalition efforts inside Iraq.

At the height of the hostilities, the U.S. leaned on Iran to stop members of the Badr Brigade — a militant anti-Saddam Hussein Shia group based in Iran — from crossing over into Iraq to take on the Saddam Hussein regime. And in the recent past, the intelligence community here is talking about an unknown number of Iranian or Iran-backed agents operating in southern Iraq with a view to promoting Shia and Iranian interests among the Shia community there. Iran is supposed to be particularly active in Najaf, Karbala and Basra with some help coming from the Badr Brigade.

The administration here will not admit this openly but it has been taken by surprise by the huge anti-American crowds that have been showing up in the streets of Iraq, especially the thousands of Shia Muslims telling the U.S. "thank you'' but at the same time, asking it to leave.

Many in this community are calling for the establishment of an Islamic state.

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