Iraqi government has asserted any decision against its policy to expel the terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) has no impact on Baghdad decision, Iran’s ambassador to Baghdad told ISNA.
The moves and activates in Iraq show the government is serious about its decision for expulsion of the MKO, Hassan Kazemi Qomi said on Tuesday.
Since the Iraqi government believes the nature and activities of MKO are based on terrorism, it has informed the members that they must leave the country and it pursues the case, he added.
Iraq’s National Security Adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie on Tuesday held a meeting with ambassadors of 9 European countries, the US, Canada, Australia and Iran to ask them to accept the MKO members in their countries.
"We want to close all the files with our neighbors, and our eastern neighbor Iran sees this as a threat to their national security," Reuters cited al-Rubaie.
Qomi said in this regard that in the meeting with presence of Iraqi Human Rights Minister, Wijdan Michael, Baghdad officials insisted on their policy towards the MKO and called for other countries to aid Iraq implement this policy.
Iraq’s government asserted not only the MKO but also all terrorists must leave Iraq’s territory and Tehran is primed to aid Baghdad fulfill the task, he added.
European foreign ministers on Monday dropped the MKO from the EU terrorist blacklist but said the group may be put in the list in the future.
ISNA
Baghdad is determined over expulsion of the terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) from Iraq despite the EU decision to remove the group from its blacklist, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC) political adviser told ISNA on Monday.
The European Union decision over removal of the MKO from its terrorist blacklist has no impact on Iraqi government’s determination to expel the group, Mohsen Hakim said.
The MKO is a terrorist organization under the UN and Security Council resolutions before and after the 11 September attacks and according to Iraq’s constitutions support for terrorism is prohibited and illegal, he added.
The members of MKO are neither war captives nor refugees thus have no legal position in Iraq, he explained.
According to Hakim 500 of MKO members have returned to Iran and 914 have European countries’ residence permit and Iraq is negotiating to get them out of the country.
Iraqi National Security Adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie in his recent visit to Tehran emphasized Camp Ashraf, the MKO residential place, will be closed forever in two months and the members will leave to leave the country.
The EU countries have reached a preliminary agreement to remove (MKO) off an EU list of banned terrorist groups, their foreign ministers, however, meet on January 26 for a final approval on the issue.
The name of the guerilla has remained in the US and Canada blacklists.
The MKO founded in 1960s has carried out assassinations and terrorist attacks against Iranian high-ranking officials including Judiciary Chief Mohammad Hossein Beheshti, President Mohammad Ali Rajayee and Prime Minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar and also civilians. The terrorist efforts have killed 3000 in Iran in 1980s. It has also betrayed the nation by helping Saddam against Iran during 1980-88 Iraq’s imposed war.
Nothing to impede Iran-Italy friendly ties: Italian ambassador Service: Foreign Policy
Italian newly-appointed ambassador to Iran Alberto Bradanini stressed no issue could impede Iran-Italy friendly ties.
Italy has always fully endeavored to boost the level of all-out cooperation with Iran, Bradanini said at a meeting with Iran’s Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi.
The ambassador also underlined the influential role of Iran-Italy parliamentary friendship group on promoting bilateral cooperation and called for setting up the group.
Elsewhere in his remarks he referred to Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) and assured that Italy considers the group as a terrorist one and will not shift its stance regarding the band.
Boroujerdi for his part said grounds for mutual cooperation on economic, industrial and political sections are available.
He also called for Italian government to prevent MKO moves in the country.
Also concerning Iran’s nuclear technology, Boroujerdi emphasized on the Parliament approval of the plan for building twenty nuclear power plants and said the Europe particularly Italy can take part in construction of the plants to create a new positive development over mutual ties.
Europe needs to review its policy regarding Iran to open a new room for a constructive interaction and mutual regional cooperation.
US to concede the MKO responsibility to Baghdad. Iraqi govenment willing to take charge of the terrorist group
TEHRAN, Aug. 09 (ISNA)-An official close to Tehran rejected the rumors that Iranian high-ranking officials have met with a U.S. delegation in Ankara, Turkey.
Iranian ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Kazemi Qomi and the chief of Iran’s foreign policy strategic council Kamal Kharazi have not held any talks with a U.S. delegation in Ankara, this official said.
Meanwhile regarding a committee founded in Iraqi defense ministry to pursue the Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) case the official said that Iraqi government is willing to take charge of the MKO terrorist group and make a decision about them.
According to this official the U.S. is also willing to concede the MKO responsibility to Baghdad.
End Item
"Paramilitary groups should be dismantled, the use of weapons should be stopped, and the operation of releasing those prisoners who have been involved in terrorist activities should be brought to a halt," said Abdul Aziz al-Hakim.
According to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the head of Iraq’s SCIRI, who was speaking at the third anniversary of the assassination of Seyed Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, stressed the need to direct efforts toward the formation of a federal government in southern and central Iraq and said:
"Security in Iraq can be guaranteed only along with issues like dismantling paramilitary groups, promoting the culture of obeying the law and disarming people."
He also called for the expulsion of terrorist groups from Iraq, with the MKO at top, and stressed that terrorist prisoners should not be freed. "A number of people involved in recent terrorist operations have been released. Releasing prisoners should be done under the supervision of parliament."
He said the role of fighting terrorism law should be strengthened and all those who support terrorism should be punished.
The head of SCIRI asked for the continuation of security cooperation with neighboring countries, the signing of agreements for extradition of criminals, border guarding and expulsion of suspects who don’t believe in Iraq’s new political regime. He also stressed the need for the formation of federal government in southern and central Iraq and said:
"We need federalism to establish security and development and believe that the government should take this issue very seriously."
He condemned Israeli crimes against Lebanon and asked Arab and Islamic countries to support the Lebanese and go on with their efforts to push towards ceasefire.
ISNA – 2006/07/30
Mohammed Majid al-Sheikh, Iraq’s ambassador to Iran, announced that following the new restrictions on the terrorist group of Mojahedin-e Khalq, this group will be expelled from Iraq in a near future.
Saying the above, Iraqi ambassador, who was visiting the office of Mardomsalari newspaper, thanked Iranian people and government for their help to the Iraqi government and asked for the continuation of bilateral friendly ties of the two sides.
ISNA – 2006/07/29
Visiting Iraqi First Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi said in a meeting in Mashhad on Wednesday that Iraq would soon expel the members of the terrorist Mujahideen Khalq Organization (MKO) from Iraq.
“We will definitely expel them and bring to justice those members who are found guilty,” the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) quoted him as saying.
“We were opposed to their stay in Iraq before and after the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein was deposed. We always considered the terrorist members of the MKO as a part of Saddam’s army” he added.
Abdul Mahdi noted that this terrorist group has not only martyred many Iranians but many Iraqis, too.
The MKO has been placed on the terrorist lists of both the European Union and the United States.
Seyed Javad Hasheminejad also said referred to the terrorist crimes of the mujahedin in Iran and said, “The presence of Iraqi statesmen in Iran and establishing friendly ties between the two countries has given a new hope to us that we can sue the MKO for its crimes of this group after 25 years.”
“Your country and ours have been freed from dictators and we hope they can be freed from terrorism as well,” Hasheminejad said to Iraqi vice president.
“For the time being, this terrorist group is plotting against the interests of both Iran and Iraq. It’s particularly engaged in making problems for Iraqis.”
Then, Mohammed Majid Al-Sheikh, Iraqi ambassador to Iran, referred to the gathering of MKO members’ families before the Iraqi embassy in Tehran and said, “They want the Iraqi government to pave the way for the return to their loved ones to Iran.”
“They said that their children didn’t want to stay in the group in Iraq; they asked Iraq to talk to them and return them back to their country,” he added.
Citing the comments of Iraqi vice president, Sheikh stressed: “This group will have no place in Iraq and would be expelled from Iraq as soon as possible. Those who like to return to Iran will be allowed to do so. There’s no doubt that the criminals of the group will be tried.”