US complaints on Iraq border snubbed; GC delegation in Iran

By: Sheikh Muhammad Khurasani

TEHRAN, Iran: The Iranian government insisted on Sunday it had strict border controls with Iraq pinning the blame for any security lapses on the US-led forces in Iraq.

On Saturday, American officials accused Tehran of doing too little to keep out “undesirables” they suspect of mounting attacks on occupying forces in Iraq. US officials also announced they would close all but three of Iraq's 19 official border crossings with Iran.

“We control our borders and prevent any illegal border crossing,” Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference. “America and other occupiers have control of the other side of the border and it is their responsibility to close the border and they should do it.”

Asefi said Iran would discuss border issues with a visiting delegation of Iraq's US-appointed governing council that arrived in Tehran Saturday on a five-day visit.

Meanwhile, President Muhammad Khatami held a meeting with the delegation of the council led by Mohammad Bahr-ul-Uloom and expressed his belief that the continued occupation of Iraq would give rise to greater insecurity in the country.

Khatami hailed the signing of Iraq's interim constitution and highlighted the importance of defending Iraq's unity, national solidarity and culture as well as its Islamic tradition.

The delegation said: “Iraq seeks relations with Iran based on mutual respect and non-interference in the country's internal affairs.”

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