Al-Maliki: There is one thing that will not be tolerated and that is for them (Mojahedin Khalq, Rajavi cult) to stay in Iraq

Q: What will become of the Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO/PMOI) after US forces relinquish the provision of Camp Ashraf security to the Iraqi government?

Al-Maliki: Today, another one of the results of the restoration of Iraqi sovereignty was that Camp Ashraf was returned to Iraqi security forces. In this camp there are organization members, of course I don’t acknowledge them nor approach them as members of an organization, but anyway there are people living in the camp whose stay in Iraq is illegal and are therefore not permitted to reside in our country.

They do not have the necessary requirements to be granted refugee status. Furthermore, Iraq is determined to put an end to this [Mujahedin Khalq] Organization because it is effecting relations between Iran and Iraq. This organization participated in many operations that harmed Iranian and Iraqi civilians under the Saddam regime.

This organization has perhaps committed acts that have caused more harm to Iraqis than to Iranians. We have been clear and frank on the issue both before we took control of the security of the camp and even after we received control. They cannot remain in Iraq. They can return to Iran or go to any other country but remaining in Iraq is not an option for them.

We will not force them to choose among these options. There is also the possibility that Iran will grant them amnesty if they would so choose to return. If they do not, there may be countries that would open their doors to them. They are free to choose.

But all this aside, there is one thing that will not be tolerated and that is for them to stay in Iraq.

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Full interview:

Iraq: We won’t bow to pressure about Iran

The following is a Press TV interview with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki conducted on the New Year and ahead of his visit to Iran.

Al-Maliki: In the very beginning I would like to thank you for this interview and congratulate the New Year. I ask God to make this year a year of peace, safety, prosperity and stability in both Arab and Muslim countries and the world.

You have asked me about what is happening today. If we look at the hardships imposed on the Iraqi nation because of international punishments and the country being subject to Chapter VII of the UN Charter and the military adventures and the wars, the executions and the starvation and the hunger and the threats to our sovereignty, which led to the invasion of the country by foreign forces stationed here, I must say that the Iraqis have endured a great tragedy.

But we have named this day, the 1st of January, as a national day. The Iraqis and all of the people from other countries deserve this day and have to congratulate us for this day because it is a national feast, a feast for our sovereignty and a feast for the result of the efforts of the Iraqi nation today. We have received the symbol of sovereignty, the presidential palace, and the green zone, and the power over Iraqi skies. We will also receive the rest.

Today Iraqis have brought into force the provisions of the withdrawal agreement and complete sovereignty will thus be restored to the Iraqi people, the Iraqi government and the armed forces.

For us this is a victory at many levels, a victory in our bid to see freedom from Chapter VII of the UN Charter, a victory in our bid to regain sovereignty, and a victory in building the army and promoting the political process, building a trained and professional army capable to implementing the law and order in the country and a political process capable to improving political procedures. It is from here that the journey starts to take the Iraqis to the sea of freedom.

Q: There have been intensions to isolate Iran politically and introduce further punitive measure on the Iranian economy. Are there any pressures on the Iraqi government on this subject?

I can say openly and frankly that the Iraqi government will not force any kind of pressure or anything else for that matter on Iran or any other country in the region. We will defy any pressure brought against us to do anything that is not in line with our constitution, our policies, our beliefs and our national interests. I can say with great courage!

We will approach issues this way not only in the case of Iran, but also when our neighboring and regional countries or even other countries are concerned. I want to emphasize that it is the will of the Iraqi government, the national unity government of Iraq, to be loyal only to the Iraqi nation and its parliament and to abide by the constitution.

It is the law that opens doors to friendship and relations and prevents us from bowing to the will of others. Our constitution has determined that after today Iraq will no longer be the scene of wars and conflict and a source of regional instability and a place where foreign powers hold power and influence.

Iraq does not want to experience isolation and does not seek to create conflicts or fuel conflicts in the region; we want a situation void of any problems. We want regional peace and cooperation as we will remain a neighbor of Iran, Turkey and Syria and are therefore determined to continue our interaction and relations with them.

All our relations take mutual respect into consideration and that is why my upcoming visits to turkey and Iran and other regional countries will be based on policies that are acceptable for the Iraqi people; policies that they trust.

In addition, the policy of our government will be to resolve all the problems we have inherited from the Saddam regime. We will pursue this with regional countries. Some of these conflicts relate to our borders, some relate to the wars and their consequences and some relate to the common water, oil and natural resources we have with out neighbors. Our policy is to find solutions and not to prolong problems.

We believe that many regional countries will respond positively to our requests to solve all the problems that have been created by the policies and adventurism of the former regime. We have attempted to limit conflicts and tensions to build regional confidence in Iraq and to show that we seek agreements and resolutions and not to intensify difficulties.

Q: What will become of the Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) after US forces relinquish the provision of Camp Ashraf security to the Iraqi government?

Al-Maliki: Today, another one of the results of the restoration of Iraqi sovereignty was that Camp Ashraf was returned to Iraqi security forces. In this camp there are organization members, of course I don’t acknowledge them nor approach them as members of an organization, but anyway there are people living in the camp whose stay in Iraq is illegal and are therefore not permitted to reside in our country.

They do not have the necessary requirements to be granted refugee status. Furthermore, Iraq is determined to put an end to this [Mujahedin Khalq] Organization because it is effecting relations between Iran and Iraq. This organization participated in many operations that harmed Iranian and Iraqi civilians under the Saddam regime.

This organization has perhaps committed acts that have caused more harm to Iraqis than to Iranians. We have been clear and frank on the issue both before we took control of the security of the camp and even after we received control. They cannot remain in Iraq. They can return to Iran or go to any other country but remaining in Iraq is not an option for them.

We will not force them to choose among these options. There is also the possibility that Iran will grant them amnesty if they would so choose to return. If they do not, there may be countries that would open their doors to them. They are free to choose.

But all this aside, there is one thing that will not be tolerated and that is for them to stay in Iraq.