Publish Date: 23 January 2012 - 22:17

Iran's ambassador to Iraq denied claims attributed to the commander of Quds Force, Brig. Gen. Qasem Soleimani that the Islamic republic controls Iraq and South Lebanon.

According to Khabar Online correspondent, Hasan Danaei-Far said Iran does not interfere in the Iraqi affairs and regarded the reports on the issue as untrue and in line with Iran phobia project.
 
Earlier a number of media had quoted Soleimani as saying that Iran is present in southern Lebanon and Iraq and that these countries are acting in this way or another by the will of Tehran and its ideas, also the Islamic Republic of Iran can guide the formation of Islamic governments there.
 
But regarding the events of Syria, the most important ally of Iran in the Middle East, they reported Soleimani said Iran is completely supporting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and the majority of Syrian people are loyal to the government.
 
A special and key unit of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the Quds Force was established during the Iraq's imposed war on Iran. It is in charge of extraterritorial security operations and exporting Iran's Islamic Revolution.
 
Speaking to Iraqi satellite TV network Alsumaria, Danaei-Far said: "The relation of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Iraq is based on mutual respect and such media hypes follow the project of some Western and Middle East countries which try to show that Iran is a threat to the states of the region."
 
"Iraq is an independent country which does not allow any state to meddle in its internal affair and we do not approve the intervention of the others in Iraq," the Iranian ambassador added.
 
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has defended in countless occasions the independence of his government and has denied its submission to foreign interference especially from Iran.
 
Some Iraqi parties, European countries as well as the US accuse Iran of interfering in Iraq’s internal affairs, and of providing armed groups and Shiite militias with weapons and explosives.
 
Referring to the close ties of Iran with all Iraqi factions, he said: "It is on the Iraqi leaders to decide on the case of Mr. Tariq al-Hashimi and other local issues. Iraq has elite, judicious and experienced leaders which can resolve the problems."
 
Earlier on December, Iraq's Judicial Council issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, accusing him of orchestrating bombing attacks. He has been accused of running a hit squad and killing Shiite government officials. He has then sought protection in the Kurdish part of Iraq.
 
"We do not interfere in such issues, but the Islamic Republic of Iran enjoys good ties with all Iraqi factions and gives them friendly advices," Iran's ambassador to Iraq added.  
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