Iranian President Mohammad Khatami accused the United States Wednesday of seeking "pretexts" to wage war on Iraq, and called upon Baghdad to "avoid a disaster" by cooperating with United Nations (UN) weapons inspectors.
Although stating that relations could one day improve with Washington, with which Tehran has had no diplomatic ties since 1980, Khatami lamented that the current American administration is led by an "extremist wing."
"I hope an attack on Iraq will not take place, but the United States is visibly looking for pretexts to attack Iraq," the president told reporters following a cabinet meeting.
"But the situation is not so that an attack can take place so easily. I hope that Iraq bows to the rulings of the Security Council in order to avoid a disaster."
Asked to comment on US-Iran ties, the Iranian President said, "We never said we would not have relations with them." "Our policy of detente includes everyone," he said, cited by AFP.
However, he added that "for half a century, we have been victims of the United States, suffering insults and having someone trample on our rights."
"The solution is that the party who has oppressed us changes its attitude and policies. But unfortunately with an administration led by an extremist wing, the United States has a policy that is a danger to the entire world and we are not very optimistic about the future." (Albawaba.com)
