Nozar Shafiei, a member of Iran’s Majlis Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, said on Saturday that Doha and Ankara play a major role in creating chaos in Iraq at the behest of Washington and the alliance of NATO. The same thing happens in Syria, the Iranian lawmaker added.
Shafiei pointed out that Iran has no intention to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. However, the Islamic Republic should monitor the developments in Syria and Iraq in view of the spillover effects of the events in those countries.
Several anti-government demonstrations have been held in Iraq since December 23, 2012, when bodyguards of Finance Minister Rafie al-Issawi were arrested on terrorism-related charges.
The demonstrators allege that the arrests were made on sectarian grounds. They demand an end to anti-terrorism laws, but the government in Baghdad says it is up to the Iraqi parliament to decide on abolishing those laws. The government says there are foreign agendas behind the protests.
Supporters of the Iraqi government have also held demonstrations in several cities over the past few weeks.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki promised on January 2 to consider some of the protesters’ demands but he warned of police intervention if protesters abused their freedom, caused chaos, and compromised national security.
On January 15, an Iraqi lawmaker and five others, including three of his bodyguards, were killed in a bomb attack in the western province of Anbar.
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