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Southern Shuneh, Jordan: Iran plans to lecture the United States during May 28 meeting in Baghdad on what it said were mistakes that Washington made in its war on Iraq, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said yesterday.
He said the United States should withdraw its troops from Iraq because their presence is causing "terrorist" activity in the war-torn country.
"We believe that sooner or later they have to decide to withdraw their troops from Iraq because that is the cause for the continuation of terrorist activities," Mottaki told participants in the World Economic Forum in the Middle East in Jordan.
He said that instability and the continuing occupation remain the two fundamental problems plaguing Iran's neighbour, and added that a "comprehensive solution" should address both issues.
Peace initiative flayed
Mottaki also criticised the Arab peace initiative for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying it would flounder partly because Israel has no peace intentions.
"Looking at the history of peace initiatives, we had some 130 plans in the past 30 years, but none of them were realised because of the approach of the other side [Israel]," Mottaki said.
At yesterday's politically charged discussion, Mottaki fiercely defended Iran when the panel's moderator said successive US policies, including the Iraq war that toppled Saddam Hussain - Iran's arch enemy - have unintentionally helped Tehran increase its influence in the region.
"We don't need any help," Mottaki said.
Prince Turki Al Faisal, the former Saudi ambassador to Washington and part of the same panel, scolded Iran, saying the non-Arab country had little to do with Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. "It's an Arab issue and should be resolved within the Arab fold," he said.
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