Iran supports US efforts to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction if it is under United Nations leadership, a senior Iranian security official said Saturday.
"If the US goal is to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, we accept it if it is done under UN leadership", said Hassan Rohani, head of Iran's Supreme Council for National Security during talks with a Japanese official.
"All the regional states support resolutions of the United Nations Security Council on Iraqi disarmament in order to prevent the outbreak of a new war in the region", he said, according to AFP.
"But the US goal is the domination of the region and the Iraqi oil", he added, saying Washington's "policy is the same method used by past emperors to dominate the world.
"Iraq has a 1,300 kilometer common border with us," Rohani said. "An outbreak of a new war only one year after a war in our other neighboring country, Afghanistan, is unbearable.
"UN inspectors must be given enough time," he expressed. "Military action is unjustifiable, and we should make all efforts to avert a war."
Rohani added the disarmament should not be limited only to Iraq, but to the entire Middle East, including Israel. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
