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Iran has reiterated the need for Iraq to cooperate with UN arms inspectors to prevent a war in the region, the official IRNA news agency reported on Wednesday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi made the stance clear in separate phone talks with his British and French counterparts Jack Straw and Dominique de Villepin as well as EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana Tuesday night.
Iraq's full compliance with UN resolutions is the only remaining alternative to resolve the current standoff, Kharazi said in the phone talks, while briefing the European officials on Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri's recent visit to Iran.
The European officials said the key to prevent a possible war was in the hands of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, and criteria for Iraq's cooperation with the inspectors was an updated report to be presented by chief arms inspectors to the United Nations on Feb.14, IRNA said.
During a surprise visit to Iran on Sunday, Sabri told Kharazi that his country was ready to fully cooperate with the arms inspectors. Sabri also conveyed a message from Saddam to Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, IRNA said, without elaborating.
A US-led war on Iraq looms large as the United States, which accused Iraq of secretly developing weapons of mass destruction, has stepped up its military buildup in the Gulf region.
Iran, which opposes any military attack on Iraq, has been seen as a key diplomatic center in the standoff between Baghdad and Washington.
(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2003)
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